In the Eyes of a Hanyou
by Kagome8
Summary: Will Inuyasha and Kagome ever hook up? Will the Shikon no Tama ever be completed? Are there some secrets that have been kept from a certain hanyou? How will the world seem... in the eyes of a hanyou? R/R Please! Chapters 1-11 posted! ^_^
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 "On Eagle's Wings"  
  
The sun shone down through the trees as Kagome Higurashi stretched out on a large rock to rest. Snuggled next to her was Shippou, and not too far away sat Miroku, Sango, and Kirarra- all leaning against a shady tree. The chirping of the birds was so beautiful and melodic, and the sun was so warm, Kagome soon felt her eyes begin to close.  
  
Just as she was about to ease into a gentle, comfortable nap, a gruff voice echoed through her ears, rattling her mind out of it's sleepiness.  
  
"Wench! Don't you fall asleep! We still have work to do!"  
  
Kagome was so startled by the sudden outburst, that she slid off the rock; landing on the ground with a yelp. She looked up to find herself staring at Inuyasha who was now comfortably sitting on her rock!!!  
  
Kagome growled. "SIT BOY!!!" she cried.  
  
Now, being pulled to the ground is painful enough, but when there's a rock underneath you, well...  
  
Inuyasha smashed through the rock and collided with the ground with a loud thump.  
  
Shippou, who had been on the rock as well, let out a loud whimper as he was tossed through the air. He landed in Sango's lap.  
  
Kagome smirked down at Inuyasha, who was laying in the dirt, brushed off her skirt, and walked away from the rather large crater where the hanyou was.  
  
When the subduing spell finally wore off, Inuyasha sprang out of the hole. "What the hell did you do that for, bitch?!?!" he roared.  
  
Kagome whirled around to face him. "You were being inconsiderate, just like always!"  
  
"Incon- what?"  
  
"Inconsiderate! You know, when someone is sleeping and you go up to them and scare them shitless!?"  
  
"Hmph... well, if you didn't need to rest all the time I wouldn't have had to wake you up!"  
  
"If you would just show a little bit of concern once in a while and stop running us ragged day after day, maybe I wouldn't need to rest!"  
  
"NO, you're just too weak! And I DON'T run you ragged day after day!"  
  
"Oh sure! That's why I wear myself to the bone just to find those shards for you, right?"  
  
Inuyasha was about to answer her with yet another remark when he caught a strange tone that lingered in Kagome's voice. The tone was one of sadness... or so it seemed.  
  
Not hearing Inuyasha say anything, Kagome continued. "All day, every day! It's always 'let's go find the shards!' or 'no stopping until we find atleast one!' Next time, it might as well be, 'no stopping until Kagome passes out from exhaustion!"  
  
Inuyasha looked at the ground. "If you felt that way about looking for the shards, then why didn't you tell me sooner?"  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Because YOU would tell me how weak I am, or how I slow you down, or something like that!"  
  
The hanyou grunted and turned his back to her so she would see she had effected him so deeply as she had. Her words stung him, and Inuyasha could not deny what she had said. He WOULD have told her those things, he knew it. And that was something he was not proud of.  
  
However, not wanting to show defeat, he crossed his arms and picked up Kagome's bike; slinging it over his shoulder.  
  
"Where are you going?" Kagome asked.  
  
"We're leaving." Was all he said. "You all had your rest. It's time for me to 'run you all ragged' some more!"  
  
Kagome gasped quietly, hearing what he had said. She stood there a moment longer, watching her friends start to follow Inuyasha. 'I shouldn't have yelled at him like that.' She thought to herself. 'I made it seem worse than it really is... true, Inuyasha does wear me out, but I don't mind, because I'm doing a favor for him...'  
  
Suddenly Sango's voice called out to her. "Hey Kagome we're leaving!"  
  
The mortal sighed and nodded. "I'm coming!" She then fell in step with Sango as Shippou hopped onto her shoulder. She was determined to apologize to Inuyasha when they stopped for the night.  
  
After the sun had set, and Shippou's complaints of being tired was too much for them to bear, everyone found a comfy spot in the woods to set up camp for the night. A fire was soon started, and Miroku had gone to work cooking their dinner.  
  
Kagome wrinkled her nose at the thought of what kind of animal they were going to be eating, and used that as an excuse to go find Inuyasha and apologize. After telling Sango where she was going, she headed off in the direction that Inuyasha had gone.  
  
The woods were darker than she expected, and Kagome found herself wishing she had stayed back at the campsite. There was no telling what was lurking in the shadows, and she knew better than to scream for Inuyasha. Sure, he would hear her, but so would other demons who would just love to have her for dinner.  
  
Kagome glanced up into the trees as she walked along, hoping to spot the hanyou. He was usually found moping up on a branch of a tall tree, so Kagome made sure she paid extra special attention.  
  
Just when she was about to give up and turn around, she heard a little rustling coming from a branch up in a tree. Kagome sighed with relief, and called up into the tree. "Hey Inuyasha!"  
  
Suddenly, a loud roar rang from up in the tree. The mortal gasped and covered her mouth, backing away slightly. That definitly didn't sound like Inuyasha...  
  
Kagome seemed frozen in fear as two glittering eyes blinked down at her a moment later. With a slight scratching noise, the owner of the eyes climbed down the trunk of the tree into the moonlight. Kagome gasped. There, digging its claws into the tree trunk was a large neko(cat)-youkai. It resembled a huge mountain lion, with it's large teeth and golden coat.  
  
The neko-youkai roared again, snapping Kagome out of her trance. With a nervous smile, she backed away from the beast slowly. "N-N-Niiice kitty..." she murmured. "Pleeeease don't eat me..."  
  
The neko-youkai leapt down from the tree with outstretched claws. Kagome shrieked and dove away from the predator. The youkai slammed into a tree and stood still for a moment, shaking it's head to clear it's vision from the hard collision.  
  
Kagome saw her chance, and took off down the path, running as fast as she could. The neko-youkai roared and bounded after her. Tears of fright stung Kagome's eyes, and she wiped them roughly so she could see where she was going. The path ahead was pitch dark, and she had no clue where she was going.  
  
A sudden painful roar from the neko-youkai startled her. It sounded like something much bigger and more dangerous had killed her enemy- and now it was coming after her! Kagome pumped her arms faster at that thought, and silently begged her legs to go faster.  
  
She could hear rapid footsteps approaching from behind, and started to panic. In her alarm, she tripped on a root, and tumbled off the path, sliding down a steep grassy hill. She flailed her arms out to catch herself, but it was no use- the grass was too slippery, and there was nothing around to grab anyway.  
  
Kagome hit the bottom of what seemed like a small ledge. Down below her was the ground- about 200 feet below her, that is. She laid there for a moment, trying to catch her breath. Hearing the footsteps approaching still, she leapt to her feet.  
  
Suddenly, the ledge crumbled underneath Kagome's weight, and she started to fall to her death when something grabbed her arm. The mortal looked up to find herself staring into the eyes of none other than Inuyasha himself!  
  
The hanyou was panting and there was a pained but relieved look on his face as he tightened his grip on Kagome's arm. "Hold on, Kagome!" he groaned, pulling her up to him.  
  
As soon as Kagome was pulled away from the cliff to safety, Inuyasha started to barrage her with an angry tirade.  
  
"What the hell where you thinking, you baka wench! You could have gotten yourself killed! What if I wasn't able to save you, huh?! What would have happened then?! You would have been eaten by that neko-youkai bastard, or fallen to your death, that's what!"  
  
Kagome shivered uncontrollably, shooken up from her near-death experience. Tears still fell from her eyes.  
  
Inuyasha softened a little when he saw Kagome so scared. With a sigh, he knelt down to her and gave her a hug. "It's ok now, Kagome..." he murmured. "I'm sorry I yelled at you... calm down..."  
  
Kagome snuggled herself into his warm and safe embrace untill she felt herself relax. She stopped shaking and her breathing returned to normal. Inuyasha stayed there, however, taking comfort in being so close to Kagome.  
  
When he was sure she was alright, he moved away from her gently and rose to his feet. "Time to go." He said. "We should be heading back now, before the others get too worried about us."  
  
Kagome could only nod her head and climbed onto Inuyasha's back. The hanyou took off through the trees, heading back towards the campsite. Kagome closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, feeling the wind whip her hair around. She wished she could stay like that forever and imagined herself soaring through the sky on eagle's wings. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 "A Dream Come True"  
  
After Inuyasha and Kagome arrived at the campsite, everyone ate their dinner and settled down to sleep. Miroku was leaning against Sango with his arm around her waist. Kirarra sat to the side, slightly away from them, expecting the violent reaction that would come from Sango when she woke up in the morning and found the lecher sleeping with her.  
  
Kagome was snuggled into her sleeping bag along with Shippou who was curled up next to her. They were by the base of the tree that Inuyasha was perched in.  
  
The hanyou was laying comfortably on a branch, gazing up at the stars in the sky. The moonlight shone onto him, causing his hair to look dazzling white and his golden eyes gleamed.  
  
Inuyasha yawned and felt his eyes begin to close. After making sure that there was no danger anywhere nearby, he relaxed completely and fell into a light slumber.  
  
The night was dark as Inuyasha snuggled against his mother. She smiled down at him and took his little hands in hers, and gave them a gentle squeeze. She then started to sing to him the song she had always sung every night.  
  
"Silent stars in the skies, full moon sparkling, close your eyes... go to sleep my little one, and dream about the morning sun. Always know I'll hold you near, there is nothing for you to fear..."  
  
Then, his mother sang it again untill Inuyasha was asleep. He sighed as his golden eyes drifted shut... the last thing he saw was another hanyou like himself, laying on her straw mat. Suddenly, Inuyasha smelled smoke... smoke from torches. He looked up to see several shadowy forms outside their hut. There was an eerie silence, untill the other hanyou's eyes flew open. "They're here." She murmured in a ghostly voice.  
  
Inuyasha jolted up on the branch he was on, gasping for breath. It was that dream again... the dream he had every night, it seemed... the dream about his past.  
  
Sitting up on the branch, he groaned and rubbed his eyes. Who was that hanyou girl in their hut with them? Inuyasha had always tried to see her face, but it was hidden in shadow, therefore concealed.  
  
The hanyou could still feel the fear and suspense creep through his very being. He could still smell the smoke from the torches outside their hut the last night he had spent with his mother.  
  
In fact... the smoke really WAS there... Inuyasha sniffed the air and frowned. Far off, he could smell smoke. What was the smoke coming from?  
  
Suddenly, Kagome's voice rang through the air. "Inuyasha... I sense a jewel shard."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The trees flew by and Kagome gripped Inuyasha's shoulders tightly as he leapt from tree to tree. Sango, Shippou, and Miroku were close behind on Kirarra.  
  
As soon as Inuyasha had heard that a jewel shard was near, he had rounded everyone up and headed towards the smoke he had smelled earlier. The hanyou knew that whatever was causing the fire was a youkai, for he could pick up its scent... and he also knew exactly where he was going now, too... The familiar sights and smells of the woods around him opened a door in his mind. He was going back to the village where he was born.  
  
As soon as the village came into view, they could see tall flames shooting up from some of the huts. But strangely, all the people seemed safe and calm; all sitting on a hill a safe distance from the fire and smoke.  
  
The companions stepped to the ground near the people. Inuyasha got a hold of one of the villagers and demanded, "What the hell is going on here?!"  
  
The villager's eyes widened. After a moment, they seemed able to speak. "You... you look so much like her..."  
  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "I look so much like who?"  
  
The villager pointed a shaky finger towards one of the huts that was on fire. Suddenly, a large snake youkai crashed through the side of the hut, covered in flames. Inuyasha looked closer to see that something was actually on the youkai.  
  
Kagome gasped and tugged on Inuyasha's sleeve. "It's a girl!" she cried.  
  
Inuyasha gasped as his eyes locked on the woman upon the snake demon. She had long black hair streaked with silver, and a pair of dog ears atop her head, as Inuyasha had. Her eyes were a dazzling purple color, and flashed with valor, as she swiped her claws down the snake-youkai's body, killing the beast. As the youkai fell to the ground, she jumped off and landed on the ground in front of Inuyasha.  
  
Suddenly, as the two locked gazes, a strong surge flew through Inuyasha. The girl... was the one from his dream... she was the hanyou girl who was in the hut with him and his mother!  
  
Inuyasha's memories from that day came pouring back to him. It was as if a spell had been broken and a bright light shined through his mind. The hanyou gasped as his surroundings faded, and he was swept into a dream-like world, where he came face to face with the continuation of the dream he had been having about his past...  
  
Inuyasha looked on from a distance as he saw himself, a cute 7 year old, cuddled in the lap of his mother. Then he saw the other hanyou like himself, laying on her straw mat just like she had been in his dream... Suddenly, he smelled smoke... smoke from torches. He looked up, as did young Inuyasha, to see several shadowy forms outside their hut. There was an eerie silence, untill the other hanyou's eyes flew open. "They're here." She murmured in a ghostly voice.  
  
His mother gathered her children in her arms.  
  
"Wait!" Inuyasha's mind screamed. "Her children...? Can that girl be my... my sister!?"  
  
The hanyou girl's purple eyes were wide as angry voices called out for their mother to surrender and let herself be killed.  
  
Inuyasha saw his mother lay a hand on each of their foreheads. She closed her eyes and murmured a prayer. "Gods have pity on these young souls... Please help us!"  
  
Outside, the yelling got louder and more insistent. Inuyasha felt his heart beating faster and faster. This was how he had felt... that cold, horrible night.  
  
Suddenly, a bright light seemed to fill the room, and Inuyasha could see a glittering body appear in the darkness of the room. It was a goddess, he knew, the goddess of wish and wonder...  
  
She spoke in a calm voice to Inuyasha's mother. "You wish to protect your children..." she spoke. Inuyasha's mother nodded.  
  
"Then it shall be done. Before I proceed, are you aware of the consequences?"  
  
Inuyasha's mother was silent.  
  
"Consequences? What consequences?!" Inuyasha called out even though he knew they would not hear him.  
  
The goddess looked down apon Inuyasha's mother. "You shall not be spared, and your very life shall be taken from you, for the villagers seek your demise."  
  
Inuyasha's mother nodded. "I am aware of that."  
  
The goddess nodded as well. "Also, your children's memory of eachother shall be erased. They shall be carried to safety... one to the North and one to the South... Untill, and if fate brings them together again, both shall forget the other, but live lives quite like the other... If one falls in love, the other shall also. If one falls sick, so shall the other. They will always be connected in such a way, and only in their dreams may they relive these memories. They will always remember you, up untill this very moment. So I ask. Do you accept or decline?"  
  
Inuyasha's mother was silent. After a moment, she spoke. "I accept... only if you assure me they shall meet again."  
  
The goddess nodded. "As you wish." She said. "But know this- their meeting shall bring tragedy."  
  
Inuyasha's mother looked concerned as she hugged her children tightly. "What tragedy do you speak of?" she asked.  
  
"When they find eachother again, one shall die. It is that simple, I regret."  
  
Inuyasha's mother was silent. "If they are to ever meet again, then I pray somehow all their questions will be answered." She said momentarily.  
  
The goddess nodded. "They shall watch this very scene." She said.  
  
Inuyasha's mother glanced around the room. Strangely, her eyes fell upon Inuyasha, even though she could not see him. The hanyou was too shocked from watching to do anything. With her children still in her arms, and her eyes staring to where Inuyasha was, she said, "My children, I love you. Enjoy your life and live it to the fullest, for when death arrives you shall have no regrets."  
  
Inuyasha gulped. "M-mother..." he stammered, reaching a hand out towards his mother. "M-mother... I will..."  
  
The goddess then opened her arms and took the two hanyou children. "You shall have a special place in paradise." She said to Inuyasha's mother as she started to disappear. "For your love for your children shows your goodness and pure heart."  
  
As the goddess vanished, Inuyasha watched as the villagers burst into the hut and attacked his mother. "NO!" he cried, trying to leap towards her to help. "Mother!!!!" 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 "A Joyful Reunion"  
  
"MOTHER!!!" Inuyasha cried, sitting up with a start. He was drenched in a cold sweat, and he was breathing heavily. He had seen it... all of it. His dream had been finished finally, and not only that, but he knew he had a sister-- a sister he had been taken away from when he was young...  
  
He looked around himself, surprised to see he was in a dark hut. Next to him lay another person... their scent told him exactly who it was. For he had remembered the name of his sister as well, and whispered it into the dark shadows of the room.  
  
"Michiko."  
  
A soft moan was heard from the girl beside him, and he heard her move to sit up. Inuyasha knew that she had seen everything from the dream as well, for he could smell tears, and was unsure which were his and which where his sister's.  
  
'Michiko' turned to her brother, finally looking apon his face after so long. After a long pause, she spoke. "I-Inuyasha?"  
  
Inuyasha smiled, and nodded. "Yep, it's me alright!"  
  
Michiko smiled as well as tears ran down her cheeks. She leaned in and hugged her brother tightly, not wanting to let go. She was afraid that it was all a dream...  
  
Inuyasha hugged his sister back. "I can't believe it." He muttered. "It's really you..."  
  
Michiko laughed a little. "And it's really you." She added.  
  
They stayed like that for a while in silence, both recalling what they had both seen. After a long while, they pulled away. Inuyasha smiled and brushed away Michiko's tears.  
  
"Come on," he said gently. "No more tears. We're together again, yes?"  
  
Michiko smiled also. "I know." She said. "It's just so hard to believe I went through life not knowing you... it kinda' hurts, though. To think I could have grown up by your side. But instead, we both were alone."  
  
Inuyasha nodded. He then leaned in and gave her a little kiss on the cheek. "Let's make the best of being together again, shall we?"  
  
Michiko returned the kiss to her brother's cheek. "Sounds good." She said.  
  
Suddenly, the curtain covering the door was pushed aside as someone rushed into the room and pretty much tackled Inuyasha in a big hug.  
  
"INUYASHA!" the person cried.  
  
"Kagome!?" the hanyou questioned. He blushed when he looked into the mortal's worried eyes.  
  
"I thought I was going to loose you!" she sobbed. "You... you just fell to the ground- both of you- and I thought... I thought you were... dead!" With that, she started crying again.  
  
Inuyasha's blush turned into a wildfire on his cheeks that soon spread to his whole face, it seemed. Kagome seemed so worried about him... why? And what brought this about all of a sudden?  
  
Michiko laughed.  
  
Kagome pushed away from Inuyasha, shocked to find Michiko there as well. "I uh..." she stammered. "I didn't see you there!"  
  
Michiko smiled. "That's ok... my name is Michiko."  
  
Kagome nodded and shook the girl's hand. "The villagers told me your name. I'm Kagome."  
  
Michiko nodded also. "Well, Kagome, any mate of my brother's is a friend of mine!"  
  
At the same time, to people blushed.  
  
"Any WHAT of your brother's?!" Inuyasha cried.  
  
Kagome's reaction was slightly different. "M-mate?" she questioned.  
  
Michiko looked from Inuyasha to Kagome. "You mean you guys aren't... uh... together?"  
  
The silence seemed enough of an answer for Michiko. "Well, then, this is awkward..." she said. "Sorry."  
  
"Don't mention it." Inuyasha grumbled.  
  
"Oh, don't listen to them." Came a voice. "They won't admit it, but they both like eachother allot."  
  
The three turned around to see Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirarra standing in the doorway.  
  
Michiko smiled. "Oh I knew that one already!" she said.  
  
Sango returned the smile. "This is Miroku the lech- uh- I mean monk, the kitsune is Shippou, my neko-youkai is Kirarra, and my name is Sango. I'm a demon exterminator."  
  
Michiko smiled warmly at her new friends. "Nice to meet you all." She said. "My name is Michiko. I'm Inuyasha's sister."  
  
Four mouths dropped. "You're who's WHAT?" Miroku questioned.  
  
"You never told me you had a sister!" Kagome cried.  
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and nudged everyone out of the hut. "I'll explain everything later, dammnit! Just give up some freakin' air!"  
  
Miroku sighed. "Are you sure he's your brother?" he asked Michiko. "Cuz you seem allot nicer!"  
  
"OUT!!!" Inuyasha bellowed.  
  
Michiko laughed. "Oh don't worry." She said. "I can be pretty scary when I want to be."  
  
Shippou jumped on her shoulder before they all walked outside. "You don't look scary." He said, twiking her ears.  
  
Michiko giggled. "Well, let's just hope I don't have to prove that to you." She laughed.  
  
"Well, when I touch Inuyasha's ears, he flips out on me." Shippou said, reaching for Inuyasha's ears. The hanyou growled and made a grab for the kitsune's tail. "See?" cried Shippou as he barely escaped. "He's a lunatic!"  
  
When they got outside, the two hanyou's gasped. "It's morning already?" they both questioned at the same time.  
  
Sango nodded. "You two slept through the night without one little peep... and yes, it is morning." She then turned to Inuyasha. "And Kagome was in and out of there every 5 minutes." She said softly. "You have to thank her later for being so concerned. Either that or atleast show her that you are grateful some other way..."  
  
Inuyasha blushed but snorted and walked away.  
  
Sango sighed. "When will you ever learn?" she said to herself. "You've got to tell Kagome how you feel about her sooner or later, before it's too late."  
  
Sango didn't know it, but Inuyasha had heard what she had said as he was walking away. "I know." He whispered in a response. "I just don't know how to tell her... I don't know what I'll do... or if I'll ever do it, for that matter."  
  
Michiko cocked her head, picking up on what Inuyasha had muttered. She looked from her brother to Kagome thoughtfully. 'What these two need... is a little help.' She thought to herself. 'And I'm gunna be the one to give it to them.' 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 "A Little Help"  
  
The sun was just beginning to dip behind the trees as everyone finished cleaning up the village from the fire the previous night.  
  
Inuyasha yawned and sat on a high tree branch, gazing down at Kagome as she and Shippou played happily in the golden rays of the setting sun. He was so intent on watching the mortal, he didn't notice he had a visitor.  
  
"Hey." Michiko said as she sat down next to him.  
  
Inuyasha smiled a little and then went back to watching Kagome.  
  
"Enjoying the show?" Michiko asked slyly.  
  
Inuyasha blushed and whirled around to face her. "WHAT?!"  
  
Michiko shrugged. "Well, if you're not watching Kagome, then who are you watching? The kitsune?"  
  
Inuyasha looked away and didn't say anything.  
  
Michiko sighed. "Come on." She said. "I know you like Kagome."  
  
Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest. "Oh, do you?"  
  
"Yes... I atleast know that much about you."  
  
Inuyasha turned to face her. "How can you tell?" he asked nervously.  
  
Michiko shrugged. "It's simple, really. You're always watching over her..."  
  
"She's my shard detector."  
  
"Is she?"  
  
Inuyasha turned to look at Michiko. His eyes widened when he saw she was holding out a piece of the Shikon no Tama. "Where did you get that?" He asked.  
  
Michiko frowned. "The demon I battled yesterday had it. But that doesn't matter right now. I need to ask you a question, Inuyasha."  
  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. Where was she going with this?  
  
"If I was to say that this is the last fragment of the sacred jewel and give it to you, that would mean your 'quest' is complete, correct?"  
  
Inuyasha frowned. "But it's not the last..."  
  
"Just answer my question."  
  
"Well, yea... It would be the end of our shard-hunting, obviously... what's your point?"  
  
"What would you do after that?"  
  
"After what?"  
  
"After it's all over. What will you do when Kagome's not around?"  
  
Inuyasha was silent, and he sat there with a rather surprised look on his face.  
  
Michiko sighed. "I guess you've never thought of it that way, huh?"  
  
Inuyasha gave her an icy glare. "Guess not." He growled. The hanyou definitly didn't like people messing with his feelings... and he certainly didn't need to hear his sister, whom he had just met, go around telling him what he should and shouldn't do.  
  
Being the hanyou Michiko was, she immediately picked up on Inuyasha's feelings. She could sense he was angry at her. She frowned. "You sure are rather snappy, Inuyasha... maybe the kitsune was right about you being somewhat of a lunatic."  
  
Inuyasha growled. "Yea, well I don't need you filling my head with all that shit about what will happen so far in the future. And what do you know about this stuff anyway? It's not like you've ever been stuck like this before..."  
  
Michiko winced at what Inuyasha was saying. She clenched her fists and took a deep breath to calm herself down. "You remember what that goddess had told mother, don't you?" she asked when she had cooled down a bit. "She told her that even though we would be separated, we would still experience the same occurrences the other did."  
  
Inuyasha thought about that for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was no longer hard and bitter. Instead, it had a tone of interest to it. "I was pinned to a tree with a magic arrow and slept for 50 years." He said, challenging her word. "How come you don't look old?"  
  
Michiko shrugged. "I never changed, Inuyasha. I stayed this way, never turning 19... I should be 70-something years old by now, but I'm not. About a half a year ago, I started to grow again... was that when you were freed from the spell?"  
  
Inuyasha nodded. "So what the goddess said was true." He muttered. "Even though we were separated, you still went through some kind of suspended animation for the 50 years I was under the spell."  
  
Michiko nodded. "And that's why I know what it's like to have feelings for someone... and be afraid to tell them how I feel... I went through the same thing you did."  
  
Inuyasha did not like the sad tone of voice his sister now had. "And what happened?" he asked.  
  
Michiko sighed. "Well, I fell in love with a human man. His name was Shentuki... he was a mortal, as is Kagome... and the whole time I knew him, my heart longed to love him... I desperately wanted to tell him how much I loved him... there were so many perfect moments... so many simple phrases I could have used... but no. I waited too long to tell him. It wasn't untill he was on his deathbed from a rare disease that I decided to tell him. But before I could, he died."  
  
Inuyasha gasped. If what the goddess said about them having the same occurrences happen to them throughout life, then did this mean that Kagome was going to die before Inuyasha told her how much he loved her? This scared the hanyou. "You mean Kagome will suffer the same fate as he?"  
  
Michiko nodded solemnly. "Yes, Inuyasha. If you do not tell Kagome how much you care for her soon, it just may be too late. And just think of how you'll feel then..." she added. "You'd always regret not telling her. You'll lay in bed at night, thinking... wishing that you had just said those three little words... the grief would eat you alive."  
  
Inuyasha was silent for a moment. The words of his sister wrang through his head. 'She has gone through so much pain,' he thought to himself. 'And she really knows what it's like to love someone...'  
  
Michiko suddenly stood up to leave. Inuyasha looked up at her. "I need to be alone." She said. "But I hope you go talk to Kagome... you never know what will happen tomorrow, next week, next year, or 5 seconds from now, for that matter." She said. "So make sure you do the right thing."  
  
With that, Michiko leapt off the branch and landed on the ground gracefully.  
  
Inuyasha thought about what she had said. He knew that he would have to talk to Kagome eventually about his feelings for her, but two things stood in the way. For one, he wasn't sure how Kagome would react to him telling her everything that was in his heart. Would she accept and return the love he had for her? Would she reject him? Inuyasha winced at that thought. There was no way that his heart could withstand breaking again.  
  
The other reason he had for holding back on Kagome was actually not a reason at all. It was a person, and her name was Kikyo.  
  
Inuyasha sighed as he leaned against the trunk of the tree. His mind traveled back to the time when he and Kikyo were in love... everything had seemed so perfect, so wonderful. And then Naraku came and ruined everything... his overwhelming evil ended their love relationship, and corrupted the miko. Her very soul now was tainted with a black evil, and she yearned for revenge. Not only that, but she was constantly trying to kill Kagome.  
  
Inuyasha could not imagine how Kikyo had turned so evil. But he knew that he still owed her so much... he owed her his very life. And that was something that he could not deny. He had promised the miko that he would always protect her- he had sworn it. And now here he was, about to give his heart to another woman- Kikyo's reincarnation, at that... and he just wasn't very comfortable about it. Deep down inside, he still loved Kikyo, and she would always be a part of him as long as her corrupt soul still wandered the earth.  
  
Kagome's sweet voice echoed through his head then, bringing him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Ok, Shippou, time for bed!"  
  
The kitsune made a sad face as he jumped into her arms. "Awwww, Kaaaagoomeee!" he whined. "Do I have to? I'm having so much fun!"  
  
Kagome giggled and patted Shippou on the head. "Yes." She said. "If you go to bed nicely now, we'll play some more tomorrow."  
  
That was enough to convince Shippou to go to bed. He squealed happily and jumped out of the mortal's arms and over to her sleeping bag, were he curled up into a little furry ball and drifted off to sleep.  
  
By now, the sky had turned a deep shade of blue, as Kagome yawned and stretched her arms above her head.  
  
Inuyasha gazed down at her, watching her every move intently. Protecting and guarding Kagome had always seemed so natural... so right. And that's what had always confused him. Why was it that he never felt this way for Kikyo? Sure, he loved the miko, but there was never that need to protect her like there was for Kagome. Maybe it was because he had known she could defend herself so skillfully and well with her bow and arrows... or maybe he wasn't meant to. Maybe fate had worked as it was supposed to all along... Maybe-  
  
"Goodnight, Inuyasha!" Kagome called to the hanyou. Inuyasha snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her.  
  
"G'night." He muttered.  
  
Kagome sighed sadly.  
  
Inuyasha's ears picked up on the sad sound she had made and grew concerned. "What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
Kagome shrugged. "It's nothing, really... well, I just wish that you would actually say goodnight nicely for once. You always mumble it like you don't want to say goodnight to me... is that true?"  
  
The hanyou gulped. How could she possibly think that of him?! Because that's how you act, said the little voice inside his head. Inuyasha growled, knowing that was right. He never showed much care for Kagome... all because he was afraid she would think he was sappy. He was proud of being a tough hanyou... and he was determined not to give that up.  
  
Kagome looked down at the ground, hurt. Inuyasha's silence had saddened her. The hanyou gave her the impression that he truly didn't care. And that thought brought tears to her eyes.  
  
Inuyasha gasped as he sensed her tears. "K-kagome?" he asked. "Why are you crying?"  
  
Kagome frowned. "It's not like you care!" she cried.  
  
Inuyasha's ears drooped. Even though her words stung him, he couldn't deny he acted that way... so Kagome had every right to believe what she did.  
  
"No Kagome... that's not true." He began.  
  
The mortal looked up at him hopefully; tears still glistening in her saddened eyes.  
  
"What I mean to say is... I... I really... I really do care... about you."  
  
Kagome looked up at him with a small smile playing on her lips. "You mean it?" she asked.  
  
Inuyasha gulped, feeling himself start to blush. "Well yea, I guess so." He said quickly, jumping down from the tree. "Now no more crying. And get to sleep."  
  
Kagome stood there for a minute, watching as the hanyou turned to leave. "Thankyou, Inuyasha." She then whispered.  
  
Inuyasha's ears swiveled towards the sound of her voice, and he stopped in his tracks.  
  
"Thankyou for saving me before... and thankyou for caring about me."  
  
Inuyasha was about to say something when he felt her wrap her arms around his waist. He tensed up for a moment, nervous that Kagome was acting this way. She must have gotten the message, for she moved away and started to walk towards her sleeping bag. But before she got too far, she thought she heard a "You're welcome" from the hanyou. But when she looked back, he was gone.  
  
With a smile, Kagome walked to her sleeping bag and climbed in it. She snuggled down into its warmth, and sighed. She closed her eyes and slipping into yet another dream about the hanyou she secretly loved so much.  
  
Inuyasha let his breath out when he saw Kagome go to bed. He had been so nervous... his instincts wanted him to push her away and escape from the tense situation, but he had overcome it and told Kagome he cared about her. "Atleast that's a start." He muttered to himself.  
  
Inuyasha settled down into a pile of soft leaves at the base of a tree, and he, too, felt his eyes close. And the last thing he saw was Kagome... 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 "A Familiar Voice"  
  
The moon was full in the sky and the stars glittered in the midnight sky as a light breeze blew tiny Cherry Blossom petals through the air. Michiko closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, inhaling their light fragrant scent with her keen hanyou senses. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts as she shed her dark blue kimono and slipped into the water of a warm hot spring.  
  
She sighed and settled far down into the water, so that only her nose and above showed atop the surface. So many things had happened so far that day... For one, she had met her brother, Inuyasha, whom she had not seen for most of her life...  
  
"I didn't have the slightest clue he was out there." She muttered to herself sadly. "If only I had known... so many things would have been different... my life might have been so much more tolerable."  
  
The hanyou swirled her hand through the warm waters, watching it ripple. She gazed into its glassy surface, remembering back to her past...  
  
Michiko had been roaming the world for so long now... she was nearly 13 and needed a place to stay... she needed friends to keep her company... and most of all, she needed love.  
  
She came to a village, then one day. Suddenly, she knew it- somehow she had found her way back to where she had been born! The villagers, naturally, didn't recognize her, and welcomed her in.  
  
The years passed, and Michiko grew to be an official member of the peaceful village. Before she knew it, she turned 18, and was considered a woman. Michiko took up the responsibility of protecting her village after that. She felt it was the least she could do to repay the villagers for their kindness...  
  
Then, one day, something strange happened. She began to have strange dreams... in those dreams, she would be in the shack that she used to live in- that she was born in-, laying on a mat. She was seven in the dream, meaning her mother was still alive. In fact, she was sitting next to Michiko, singing softly the song that she always sung to get her to go to sleep. But strangely, there was something in her mother's arms every time she had the dream. A closer look would show her that it was a hanyou boy who was the same age as she.  
  
Michiko desperately tried to see who he was, but there was no way of telling, for his face was blank... which was rather odd.  
  
However, there was always a strange smell in the air after that, like that of smoke, followed by the sound of voices. Michiko knew that the voices where those of the villagers who despised her mother for mating with a youkai. The villagers had known that her father was away temporarily, and now were about to attack them. Michiko knew she would have to warn her mother... so she called out, "There here!" as quietly as she could; her voice sounding rather spooky when she said it. And that was it. The dream ended after that...  
  
That wasn't the end of the strange occurrences, unfortunately. After the first time she dreamt that bizarre dream, time seemed to have stopped for her. Michiko stopped growing, stopped aging, and stayed the way she was, at 18. It went on like that for 50 years... untill about a half year ago when Michiko finally started to progress again.  
  
And that pretty much led up to the point when she met Inuyasha. Everything, after their reunion, had made sense to her. She had seen the conclusion to her dream, and learned that she and Inuyasha had been separated for so long by the goddess that her mother had prayed to please save her children on the night of her unfortunate demise...  
  
Michiko had just one thing on her mind now... one thing that the goddess had said that troubled her...  
  
Suddenly, before she could finish her thoughts, there was a rustling noise coming from behind one of the bushes around the hot spring. The hanyou snapped her head up out of the water the rest of the way and perked her ears, trying to listen for the sound again.  
  
It took a while, but finally whatever- or whoever- was making that sound, well, made it again. Michiko grabbed her kimono and wrapped it around herself; jumping out of the water. She tied the sash loosely, before crying out, "Who's there?!"  
  
A tall figure stepped out from the bushes. Michiko shaded her eyes from the moonlight to see who they were. Their scent seemed familiar... too familiar. "Show yourself!" she demanded.  
  
The person stepped forward so their face was intelligible. Michiko's heart skipped a beat as she gazed upon his face. Her lips moved together to speak this stranger's name that so clearly came to memory.  
  
"Sh- Shentuki."  
  
Indeed it was him... the mortal man she had fallen in love with so long ago... and now there he was, standing there before her, looking unharmed from the disease that had taken his life... or had it?  
  
Michiko could feel her eyes start to water. "What are you doing here?" she whispered. "Is this some sort of dream? An illusion?"  
  
Shentuki shook his head and smiled the same handsome smile that had always made the hanyou's heart melt.  
  
"Nay, Michiko... I have returned from the dead to be with you."  
  
The hanyou was shocked. Was it possible that such a miracle could have taken place? How... and why?  
  
Shentuki frowned when her silence filled the air. "If you do not wish to be with me any longer, I can leave..." he offered.  
  
Michiko gasped. "NO!" she cried. "Do not leave me again! I need you, Shentuki! You do not know how my heart has grieved for you."  
  
The hanyou was overtaken with despair and remorse, and she pitched herself into his arms. "You do not know how I wanted to tell you how much I cared..." she whispered. "I should have swallowed my pride and told you... but nay... I was too foolish to be grateful to have you by my side. Will you ever forgive me?"  
  
Shentuki embraced her there, running his fingers through her shiny wet hair. "Of course I do." He murmured. "I could never stay mad at you, Michiko, for the truth is, I have always cared about you as well."  
  
Michiko lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "Truly?" she asked quietly. "You do care for me? A half-breed?"  
  
Shentuki gathered her chin in his hands. "Of course." He said, smiling. "I love you for who you are, not what you are."  
  
Michiko smiled back and sighed as she looked into his eyes. Those blue eyes that had once haunted her in her sleep... they were now her life support, for she felt that if they so much as blinked, she would stop breathing... So they stayed like that, gazing into eachother's eyes. Michiko finally felt her eyes start to close.  
  
Shentuki leaned her head against his shoulder and caressed her cheek, lulling her into a sleepy state of consciousness. She sighed and closed her eyes the rest of the way, feeling completely secure being in Shentuki's arms.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile...  
  
Inuyasha was sitting in his old hut, thinking about everything that had happened that day, so far. Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the room. The hanyou shaded his eyes so he could see who was joining him...  
  
When he could see once again, Inuyasha looked up to see the very same goddess that had saved him and Michiko so many years ago.  
  
"Do you accept or decline?" she asked suddenly.  
  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. What was she talking about...?  
  
Suddenly, another person appeared next to him. It was his mother! She was silent, thinking about what the goddess had asked. After a moment, she spoke. "I accept... only if you assure me they shall meet again."  
  
Inuyasha was confused. This was like the same thing he had seen before... what did this mean?  
  
The goddess nodded. "As you wish." She said. "But know this- their meeting shall bring tragedy."  
  
Inuyasha's mother looked concerned as she looked over at Inuyasha. "What tragedy do you speak of?" she asked.  
  
"When they find eachother again, one shall die. It is that simple, I regret."  
  
The hanyou's eyes widened. He had forgotten all about that! How could he have been so stupid?!  
  
The goddess then turned to Inuyasha. She spoke to him very gently... but there was a rather serious and urgent tone to her delicate voice.  
  
"One of you shall die, before the sun rises. I urge you to go find your sister... but be warned- one wrong choice shall hasten the fate of the chosen one, so be cautious from this point forward..."  
  
Inuyasha gasped when he saw the goddess start to leave. "Wait!" he cried. "What does that mean?"  
  
His mother layed a hand on his hand, making him look to her in surprise.  
  
"Inuyasha," she said, smiling. "It will all make sense... destiny and fate are in control now... so do as the goddess said..."  
  
Then she, too, started to fade away.  
  
Inuyasha jumped to his feet. "But which one of us shall die?" he asked.  
  
His mother looked sad upon hearing his question. "The one who has served their purpose on earth shall join me in eternal rest." She said. "One of you shall die a death with honor... and the other shall live on with honor to fulfill their duties in this world."  
  
As the two bodies faded away completely, the room flooded in a bright light once more. And so the dream ended.  
  
Inuyasha sat up, and looked around. He was no longer sitting in the hut; he was still resting against the tree that he had fallen asleep against.  
  
Suddenly, two scents filled his nose... the first, he recognized to be Michiko's... but the second was strange, and yet familiar all at the same time...  
  
The hanyou leapt up from his pile of leaves and raced towards the scents, not knowing who, or what, he'd find there. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Shentuki smiled as he saw Michiko start to fall asleep in his arms. He laid her on the ground gently, and knelt down next to her.  
  
"Michiko..." he murmured, drawing his sword. "How foolish you are... your heart has been trapped in a brutal cage for so long now... loving me... Now what will you do to save your heart from breaking a second time? For if either of us was to die..."  
  
He raised the sword above her neck. "If either of us was to die, we'd be separated once again..."  
  
Suddenly, out of the bushes leapt Inuyasha. He drew the Tetsusaiga in a split second, and raced towards Shentuki and Michiko.  
  
Shentuki got up and backed away from Inuyasha, evading the sharp blade which would have easily cut his head off.  
  
When the hanyou saw Michiko laying on the ground so still, he forgot all about the stranger. "Michiko!" he cried, shaking her gently. Suddenly, a electrifying shock flew from around the hanyou and rocketed into Inuyasha's body, sending him backwards into a tree.  
  
"Ughhh..." he groaned, clutching his head. He winced as he tasted blood in his mouth. Looking back to Michiko, he could make out a light blue shield that surrounded her body. "What the hell...?" the hanyou muttered to himself.  
  
Shentuki laughed. "You fool." He sneered. "Could you not see the barrier I have set around her? It was specially designed to keep her in... and you OUT!"  
  
Inuyasha growled and staggered to his feet. "Who the hell are you?" he snarled. "And what do you want with Michiko?"  
  
Shentuki smirked. "The wretched human that half-breed sister of yours fell in love with was named Shentuki. And who said I wanted anything to do with her?"  
  
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "What's going on? How can you be Shentuki? He's dead, aint he?"  
  
Shentuki chuckled. "Atleast someone besides me was paying attention to your sister then, I see..."  
  
"You... you were there listening to our conversation before?!" Inuyasha cried, gripping the Tetsusaiga angrily, making the blade crackle with yellow energy.  
  
"Precisely." Shentuki answered smugly. "And it was thanks to her that I knew how to play the part of Shentuki... for I certainly wouldn't have known how deeply in love with the fool she was. Hahahahaha..."  
  
Inuyasha could feel his anger and vengeance on his sister's behalf boiling to the point of exploding. "So you aren't Shentuki, then, are you?" he growled.  
  
"No." Came the reply. "But it isn't like we haven't met before, Inuyasha..."  
  
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"Don't you know who I am? We are quite good friends, you know..."  
  
The hanyou bared his teeth in rage. "Well I'm sorry I don't remember a scum like you..." he snarled. "And personally, I'd never associate with someone who is a insignificant dullard such as yourself!"  
  
The man laughed. "Hah... ironic... Kikyo said that to me as well a long time ago."  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened. "K-Kikyo...?" he stammered. Suddenly, his eyes flashed with an frightening anger. "Naraku." He growled.  
  
"Hmmm... so you've finally figured it out, puppy?" Naraku sneered, transforming into his true form.  
  
Inuyasha clenched his fists. "It all makes sense now." He muttered. "You decided to kill another one of the people I care about... so you've been watching us."  
  
Naraku smiled. "When I heard that sister of yours rambling on about how madly in love she was with that Shentuki character, I couldn't help but disguise myself as he. When she layed eyes upon me as her former lover, her heart immediately fell into despair and she let her guard down completely."  
  
Inuyasha growled.  
  
"What is it with you hanyou and your overwhelming trust you have in those wretched humans?" Naraku asked. "Is it the fact that they are so frail and helpless compared to you that makes you feel sorry for them? Or is it the weakness of your human heart that you hold within your body that binds you to have a inexplicable taste for mortal companions?"  
  
Seeing how outraged Inuyasha was becoming, Naraku decided to take it one step further. "Inuyasha..." he hissed. "You should know of what I speak... for that pathetic mortal that hangs around you shall be the downfall of every one of you and your companions."  
  
Automatically, Inuyasha felt it his duty to stand up for Kagome. "Shut up! You have no right in talking about Kagome like that!" he snarled. "She has nothing to do with this whatsoever, so just leave her out of this!"  
  
Naraku chuckled quietly. "Oh, really?" he questioned. "Then tell me, Inuyasha, why is it that you are always with her? You care about her so much... and you know as well as I do that you'd do anything to protect her from harm."  
  
Inuyasha was at a loss of words as Naraku stood before him, taking advantage of his weakness for Kagome. The hanyou tried not to let his fear become apparent, for that's all it would take for Naraku to destroy him completely. So instead, he pointed the tip of the Tetsusaiga at Naraku. "If you say another word about Kagome, I'll slit your throat." He threatened.  
  
Naraku laughed. "Oh, would you rather hear me talk about Kikyo? Or have you forgotten about her now that you have your precious Kagome to take her place?"  
  
That was all it took to totally and completely break every strand of control the hanyou had. With a great cry, Inuyasha leapt at Naraku and the battle began. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 "A Tragic Promise Held True"  
  
The clanging of swords filled the night sky as two youkai battled fiercely.  
  
Inuyasha swung his Tetsusaiga at Naraku, and the powerful youkai whizzed away, and out of the path of the sharp fang. He, in turn, slashed at the hanyou with his black sword, and a long bloody gash appeared across Inuyasha's cheek.  
  
And they kept fighting like that. One would miss, the other would strike. It seemed like it could go on forever, untill Naraku saw his chance, and drove his sword into Inuyasha's stomach.  
  
The hanyou gasped and dropped the Tetsusaiga as he clutched his deep wound. He fell to his knees right in front of Naraku.  
  
Naraku laughed. "That's right, half-breed! It's about time you bowed down to me!"  
  
Inuyasha tried to stand, but the pain was unbearable. So, instead, he wet his claws with his own blood and swiped them at Naraku, crying, "Hijinkessou!" (Blades of Blood)  
  
Naraku stumbled back as three distinct slash marks appeared across his chest. He soon regained composure, and growled menacingly at the hanyou. "Hmmm... I shall bear you no grudge for that one." He said, "For you are helpless, and attacking weakly out of desperation. To have a fighting chance of defeating me, you'd have to get the help of that half- breed sister of yours... and she cannot be freed by the likes of you."  
  
Suddenly, an arrow whistled through the air. It hit the shield that surrounded Michiko, and with a bright light, the barrier and the arrow disappeared in a large cloud of sparkles.  
  
Both Inuyasha and Naraku whirled around to see Kagome, bow in hand, standing at the other end of the hot spring. "How's that for fair play?" she challenged.  
  
Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat. "KAGOME!" he cried. "KAGOME GET OUT OF HERE!"  
  
A groan could be heard from somewhere behind them, then. Michiko blinked and opened her eyes, coming out of her strange sleep. "W-what's going on?" she muttered. "Shentuki was here... and..."  
  
Her eyes came to rest on Naraku. "Where... where did he go?" she asked, oblivious of the fierce battle raging on between the two youkai.  
  
Naraku smirked.  
  
Michiko gasped as his face changed into that of Shentuki's. "You... you pretended to be... Shentuki... you deceived me!"  
  
An incredible feeling of malice and hate built up inside of her then, as the scene between her and who she had thought to be Shentuki played through her head over and over again. "You will pay for that." She growled. "How dare you pretend to be Shentuki?! You disgrace yourself and the dead with your actions!"  
  
With that, she leapt at Naraku.  
  
Inuyasha saw this as his chance. He grabbed the Tetsusaiga and raced towards Naraku as well. The youkai was immediately swarmed with strong attacks from the two hanyou.  
  
Watching from the side, Kagome set her bow on the ground and looked on. Things seemed hopeful now.... Naraku was about to be defeated, and things were finally starting to get better.  
  
Suddenly, however, Naraku surprised both hanyou with an incredible wave of electricity that he emitted from his body. They flew backwards onto the ground. Michiko slammed her head hard on a rock and was knocked unconscious for a short while.  
  
Inuyasha scrambled to his feet. "Michiko?!" he cried.  
  
"Don't waste your time on her." Naraku sneered. "She's as good as dead anyway."  
  
Inuyasha growled and lunged at his enemy. "You'll regret that, you bastard!"  
  
Naraku sped to the side and held out an arm so Inuyasha ran into it so fast that he was knocked to the ground. Naraku then went on to stomp on Inuyasha's stomach.  
  
His wounds were open and blood spurted from them as Naraku dug his foot into them deeper and deeper. Inuyasha cried out in pain. He was totally helpless now, as he quickly slipped in and out of consciousness.  
  
Kagome watched on from a distance in shock. She gasped when she saw Inuyasha being beaten so badly. Her heart tore when she saw the pained look on his face as he bravely tried to shake off his enemy, with no avail. She frowned and clenched her small fists. Her quiver was out of arrows, and she couldn't do much with a mere bow, so only one clear plan of action stood out in her mind.  
  
The mortal took out the bottle that held their pieces of the Shikon no Tama that they had gathered after Naraku had taken their other ones, and held it in the air. "Hey Naraku!" she cried. "Leave Inuyasha alone!"  
  
Naraku laughed and turned to the mortal. He was about to mock her actions, when he caught sight of the Shikon no Tama shards that she held. "So she possesses the sacred jewel shards..." he sneered to Inuyasha. "Don't move. I'll be right back. I have to pick up some jewel shards that will soon belong to me! But don't worry- I'll be back soon enough to finish you off!"  
  
Inuyasha gasped as Naraku raced towards Kagome. "NO!" he cried, struggling to get to his feet. "KAGOME! RUN!!! DON'T LET HIM GET YOU..." A small voice then sounded in his head. You make sure he doesn't get her! The hanyou couldn't argue with that!  
  
Meanwhile, Kagome was running as fast as she could to escape Naraku. She knew that soon she would be a goner, but she was giving Inuyasha the chance to escape from being killed by Naraku... and hopefully now he would have a better chance at killing the youkai while he was so focused on Kagome...  
  
Naraku smirked as he steadily closed in on Kagome. She gasped for breath as she pounded across the ground, running as fast as she had ever run in her entire life.  
  
Suddenly, she stopped running as she saw the edge of a cliff. She gasped and slid to a stop. Turning around, she saw Naraku flying at her with his hand outstretched; ready to shove her off the cliff.  
  
Before he could, there was a blur of red as Inuyasha drove the Tetsusaiga across Naraku's back.  
  
"Don't you EVER think of hurting Kagome!" he cried to Naraku.  
  
The youkai screamed out in pain and surprise as he stumbled backwards, trying to catch his balance. However, the blow had been too hard and fast for even him, and he fell to the ground, and rolled off the side of the cliff. With one arm, he grabbed onto a root that stuck out from the abrupt overhang. And Inuyasha smirked as he looked down to see a rocky gorge so many hundreds of feet below. He could not see Naraku hanging there, out of sight. "So he has fallen." The hanyou murmured to himself. "And my revenge has been satisfied."  
  
Suddenly, a voice rang out from somewhere behind him.  
  
"Inuyasha, look out! He's not dead yet!"  
  
Inuyasha turned around to see Michiko running towards the edge of the cliff. "I can sense he still is alive! He did not fall!"  
  
Michiko and Inuyasha leaned over the edge of the cliff to see Naraku holding on for dear life. There was apparent desperation in his eyes, and he knew that it was impossible for him to survive. However, he smirked up at the two hanyou. "You may defeat me, Inuyasha... But I shall make sure that the two women you care for most pay for your actions with their lives! You made the wrong choice in trying to defeat me... and you have hastened their deaths."  
  
That's what the Goddess had told me! Inuyasha thought to himself frantically. She warned me if I make a wrong choice, it'll hasten the death of the chosen one... but which one of us is the chosen one...?  
  
Suddenly, Naraku's free arm transformed into a large tentacle that stretched away from his body and up the side of the cliff. It shot straight through Michiko's chest, and rocketed out her back.  
  
Her eyes widened as an inexplicable pain tore through her entire body. The tentacle slithered out of her, and she toppled to the ground, landing in a puddle of her own blood.  
  
Inuyasha gasped. "NO!!!" he cried.  
  
The tentacle shot around the both of the hanyou then, and wrapped itself around Kagome. "HELP!" she shrieked. "Inuyasha! Help me!"  
  
The hanyou looked up to see Kagome being dragged to the cliff's edge. "NO!!!" he cried for the second time that day. He grabbed the Tetsusaiga and chopped off the tentacle. It let go of Kagome as Naraku, in great pain, let go of the cliff accidentally. With an outraged roar, the evil youkai plunged to his death.  
  
Kagome, being so close to the edge, flailed her arms around to try and catch herself. Inuyasha saw her about to fall as well, and ran to help her.  
  
Michiko looked up from her bloody puddle to see Inuyasha try to grab Kagome's hand as she tumbled off the cliff... and miss.  
  
"KAAGOOOME!" he called; his cries echoing through the rocky gorge below.  
  
All Kagome could do was look up at the cliff where Inuyasha was, leaning over the edge with an outstretched hand. She knew she was going to die. There was no chance she would survive the fall...  
  
There was a sudden flash beside Inuyasha. He looked up to see Michiko dive over the cliff after Kagome. Her hanyou strength kept her from falling like a dead weight, and she actually slid down the side of the cliff. She caught up with Kagome and grabbed her arm, slinging her onto her back.  
  
"Hold on, Kagome!" she cried. "I'm not going to let you die... I'll save you for your own sake, if not for Inuyasha's as well!" Michiko tried to stop herself from sliding any further, but her intense pain finally caught up with her, and she doubled over in enormous agony.  
  
Inuyasha gasped when he heard a loud thump followed by a large cloud of smoke. He, too, leapt over the side of the ledge and slid down the cliff. Sliding to a safe stop, he jumped to the ground below and waved his hand for the smoke to clear.  
  
"Kagome!?" he called out.  
  
"Help!" came a small voice. The hanyou looked above him to see Kagome hanging on a branch by her skirt. It must have gotten caught, he knew, as she was falling. Suddenly, the branch broke, and she shrieked, plummeting towards the ground.  
  
However, she never hit the earth. Instead, she fell into the arms of Inuyasha.  
  
"INUYASHA!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck.  
  
The hanyou set her down and embraced her tightly, not wanting to let go. "Kagome... I thought I was going to lose you..." he whispered. "I was so scared..."  
  
Kagome smiled through the tears that poured down her cheeks. "Inuyasha I was scared too... but Michiko... she saved me..."  
  
At the sound of his sister's name, the hanyou pulled away from Kagome gently. "Where is she?" he asked.  
  
Kagome pointed a shaky finger at a figure laying in a heap on the ground.  
  
"GODS!" Inuyasha cried, racing over to Michiko. "Michiko, no!"  
  
His sister looked up at the sound of his voice. She smiled when he got to her side. Dark blood still poured from her body and layed around her like an evil pool of death.  
  
Inuyasha took his sister's hand. "Michiko?" he whispered.  
  
Michiko smiled lightly at him. "Hey." She squeaked out.  
  
Inuyasha seemed relieved that she was still able to talk. "Come on." He said. "Let's get you out of here... I'm sure your village has some potions and herbs for your wounds, and..."  
  
"No, Inuyasha." Michiko interrupted. "Do you not remember what the Goddess had said to mother before she separated us?"  
  
Inuyasha was silent, so she continued. "She said that our reunion will bring tragedy... that one of us would die... I guess we both know who that is now..."  
  
Inuyasha frowned, remembering the words of the Goddess when she had spoken to him in the dream he had dreamt earlier that night...  
  
"One of you shall die, before the sun rises... one wrong choice shall hasten the fate of the chosen one, so be cautious..."  
  
The words were, indeed, true as he looked into the sky and saw the sun just starting to rise. Turning back to Michiko, he squeezed her hand. "I had a dream before warning me that one of us would die before the sun rises."  
  
Michiko squeezed his hand back lightly, urging him to continue.  
  
"Not only was the Goddess there, but mother too... she said destiny and fate were in control... and that I should do as the Goddess said and go find you. I asked her which one of us was going to die, and she answered me rather sadly, saying the one who has served their purpose on earth shall join her in eternal rest... that one of us shall die a death with honor... and the other shall live on with honor to fulfill their duties in this world."  
  
Michiko could only nod now, as she felt her whole body starting to go numb.  
  
"Inuyasha..." she murmured. "Fate and destiny IS in control. What needed to happen has happened. Naraku was defeated, and you now can get all the shards he had, and you'll have the whole Shikon no Tama... that's great."  
  
Inuyasha frowned a little. "But I don't get it... why were you chosen to die? How have you served your purpose here on earth?"  
  
Michiko smiled. "When I rescued Kagome from certain death, my soul was rendered complete. I saved the life of my brother's loved one. There had been a void in my heart after I couldn't save Shentuki from death so long ago... and that void was satisfied, knowing that I performed what I so desperately wanted to do for him, in saving Kagome's life- stopping an actual mortal from being mercilessly stripped away from the person whose heart longed to love them... Therefore, my greatest desire; my purpose here on earth has been completed... and I look forward to meeting mother again in the heavens."  
  
Inuyasha looked down at his sister, feeling his eyes start to tear. He gripped her hand even harder as she winced, feeling the last waves of pain before her death.  
  
"I'm glad I found you, Michiko." He said. "You saved the life of Kagome... you don't know how grateful I am to you..."  
  
Michiko smiled and closed her eyes, feeling total peace and warmth consume her whole body. "You're welcome." She said. "And remember to tell her how you feel... before it's... too... late."  
  
As the first rays of morning light fell across Michiko's face, her hand went limp and slid from Inuyasha's. It fell to the ground with a soft thud, raising a small cloud of dust. When the dust cleared, there in her open hand layed a Shikon shard; the one that Inuyasha had known she had from earlier that night.  
  
The hanyou remained there, next to his fallen sister after retrieving the shard, untill a soft sniffle could be heard. He turned around to see Kagome standing not too far away. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her eyes were sad and oppressed. "I'm sorry about your sister." She murmured sadly.  
  
Inuyasha rose to his feet and walked over to Kagome, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Kagome... I'm sorry you had to see all that." He whispered.  
  
Kagome started to cry all over again, so Inuyasha pulled her close, and hugged her tightly. They stayed that way in the morning light, silently wishing for time to stand still so they could stay like that forever. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 "The Shikon no Tama"  
  
"So these are the remaining shards?" Miroku asked, glancing down at the small pouch in his hand.  
  
Inuyasha nodded. "There are atleast 40 shards in there." He said. "Those were the ones that Naraku had this whole time."  
  
The companions were all settled around a fire, eating their breakfast fruit. Sango, Miroku, and Shippou had been filled in on everything that had happened... and now they sat there, too shocked to do anything.  
  
After hearing the news of Naraku's death, Miroku had uncovered his hand to see that his windtunnel had vanished.  
  
Sango had also heard rumors that some people had seen her brother, Kohaku, free and roaming the lands nearby.  
  
Things seemed pretty darn good for the friends, as they rested in the warm sun. However, Sango looked over at Kagome and frowned. There was something bothering her friend. She had hardly touched her breakfast, and she had a far-away look in her eyes, as if the mortal was thinking about something very serious.  
  
"You ok, Kagome?" she asked.  
  
Startled by the abrupt question, Kagome jumped. "Uh... yea. I'm fine. I just need to be alone for a while." With that, she got up and walked towards a tall tree about 30 feet away, where she sat down against it and sighed, closing her eyes.  
  
Shippou, Sango, and Miroku exchanged glances, and then all eyes fell upon Inuyasha. The hanyou looked up at them for a moment before rolling his eyes. "Fine! I'll go talk to her! Gods! Why do I always have to be the good guy around here?"  
  
"Because you are, Inuyasha." Came a reply.  
  
The hanyou turned around. Sango was smiling up at him. Inuyasha returned the smile and then walked towards Kagome.  
  
She looked up when he approached. Inuyasha sat down next to her. "Whatcha' doin'?" he asked.  
  
Kagome shrugged. "Thinking."  
  
"About...?"  
  
"Inuyasha... what did Michiko mean when she told you to tell me how you felt before it was too late?"  
  
Inuyasha face-faulted. What was he supposed to say to her now? Certainly, he couldn't just say, "gee, Kagome, I love you," now could he?! So instead, the hanyou folded his arms across his chest. "Don't worry about that." He said. "It's nuthin' really... is that all you're worried about?"  
  
Kagome looked at the ground. "Well, no." She admitted. "With all the shards of the Shikon no Tama found, what's gunna happen to us?"  
  
Inuyasha was silent, for this was the same question he often thought about. At last, he spoke.  
  
"I dunno, Kagome..."  
  
Kagome shrugged. "It's just that there's nothing to aim for now... no more Naraku... and the Shikon Jewel is safe and sound once again." She glanced down at the whole jewel that hung from the chain around her neck.  
  
Inuyasha could see sadness in her eyes as she looked at the Shikon no Tama... and he thought he knew why.  
  
"Kagome... just ask me."  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"You want to ask me something very important. I can see it in your eyes."  
  
The mortal looked at Inuyasha for a moment; a light blush brushing her cheeks.  
  
"Well... I have been thinking, Inuyasha. The Jewel is said to hold the spirit of not only evil demons that once battled the priestess so many years ago, but also Midoriko, herself. If we were to make a good wish apon the jewel, Miroku says that he believes it will be purified, and therefore cease to exist..."  
  
Inuyasha knew exactly where this conversation was going. And he had to stop it before it go any further.  
  
"I know what you're doing, Kagome."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Nice try, but I'm not buyin' it."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You want me to not wish on the jewel to become a full demon, don't you?"  
  
Kagome was silent.  
  
"Well, that's too bad, cuz' I am, and no one's gunna stop me."  
  
Kagome frowned and stood up. "But Inuyasha! You can't! Think of all the evil that will taint the jewel even more! By wishing to become a full demon, you'll be letting down not only all of us, but Midoriko-sama as well!"  
  
"Well... that's just too bad. I'll make whatever choice I want to make, got it?"  
  
Kagome crossed her arms. "Well then, fine!" she cried. "Maybe you don't need me here to help you guard the jewel any longer! If that's your attitude towards the whole thing, then the hell with our righteous mission to purify the jewel! Forget it! Forget every freakin' plan we've ever had for the jewel! Go right ahead and do what you want!"  
  
Inuyasha stood up now as well. "Kagome, if you leave I am not going to go back and get you this time."  
  
The mortal looked the hanyou right in the eye. "Well then, we all know what's going to happen, then don't we?"  
  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I'll leave for good, you'll use the jewel to become a full demon, and then you'll grow so evil that you'll corrupt the jewel even more and the whole process will repeat itself! Maybe one day my reincarnation will show up and shatter the jewel. Then what? Huh? Then what will happen to Feudal Japan? It'll be stuck in the warring states era for good. There'll be no advances in technology... no possible way for man to go to the moon... to type on a computer... to ride a bicycle, for that matter... it'll just keep repeating the same pattern of finding the shards, and breaking the sacred jewel all over again! That's all it'll ever be... time and time again... And it'll be all thanks to YOU!"  
  
Inuyasha blinked. Everything Kagome had said came out in an angry jumble of words, and some of it didn't even make sense to him. However, the overall gist of it was clear to the hanyou, and he could tell that Kagome was deeply upset about his decision to become full demon. But why? There had to be another reason, other than being concerned solely about the jewel, right?  
  
The hanyou broke out of his thoughts when he saw Kagome walking away angrily. "H-hey wait!" he cried.  
  
Kagome whirled around. "Don't follow me!" she cried.  
  
"Feh! I'll do whatever I want, wench!"  
  
"SIT!"  
  
"Gahhh!"  
  
Miroku, Sango, Shippou, and Kirarra all watched as Kagome walked over to Inuyasha, who was on the ground.  
  
"Obviously, you have no brains whatsoever, Inuyasha!" she cried. "Because if you had half of one, you'd see that I don't want you to become a full demon, because... because... I want you to beam human to be with me!"  
  
With that, she turned and ran into the forest blindly, choking back her tears. She had said the last part so quietly, that Inuyasha didn't let what she had said sink in.  
  
The hanyou groaned as the spell wore off. He picked his head up off the ground to see his three other companions, plus Kirarra, staring down at him.  
  
Suddenly, Shippou bounced down from Miroku's shoulder and whacked Inuyasha upside the head. "You jerk!!!" he cried. "What did you do to poor Kagome now?!"  
  
Inuyasha grabbed the little kitsune by his tail, and balled his fist; ready to pound Shippou, when Sango's boomerang came down and hit him in the arm. Shippou was dropped to the ground, and dashed behind Kirarra.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you people?!" Inuyasha demanded angrily, standing up to look more menacing.  
  
However, neither Sango nor Miroku seemed fazed by this, and blinked at him calmly. Eventually, the hanyou got bored of trying to act tough, and grunted; turning his back to his friends.  
  
"So where did the wench go to this time?" he asked sourly. "Did she go searching for another neko-youkai to kill her?"  
  
After a while of silence, Inuyasha turned back around. "Hey!" he cried. "Did you hear me?! I asked you where--"  
  
Miroku held up his hand, suddenly, to quiet the hanyou. "Sssh..." he hissed. "Inuyasha, do you sense a strange evil lingering about?"  
  
Inuyasha was quiet for a moment. Suddenly, his eyes widened in fear. "Kagome's in danger!" he cried, dashing into the woods. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 "The Reincarnation of a Priestess"  
  
The cold wind that blew through the woods seemed to whisper strange messages of danger to Kagome as she dashed down the unfamiliar path. She paid no attention to it, though... other things were on her mind at the time.  
  
She had finally told Inuyasha what was on her mind-- and in her heart. And now there she was, running from him; afraid of what his response would be. She knew it was quite possible for the hanyou to make a nasty remark, like 'Well, keep dreamin', cuz I'll NEVER become human for you...' or something along those lines. There was no way in hell Kagome would be able to stand that kind of a heartbreak... and she didn't care to stick around and see what would happen.  
  
Still, she was rather creeped out by the dark forest, with its cold moaning winds, and the shadows that covered most of the scenery on either side of her. "I have to be brave." She thought to herself, as she pressed on. "I'm certainly NOT going back there to hear that baka hanyou make fun of me and say I'm a chicken. No way in hell!"  
  
Suddenly, a thick fog rolled in from no where, it seemed. Kagome screeched to a halt and waved her hands through the air in a feeble attempt to see through the white mist. To her dismay, it remained there; cold and still, slowly drenching her to the bone from the dense water vapor that made up the fog.  
  
Kagome clutched the edge of her skirt with her fists in an attempt to keep it from blowing up in the chilling wind that had seemed to come out of no where, just as the fog had.  
  
She was scared now-- scared and alone. So she did the only thing she could think of-- Kagome opened her mouth and screamed, long and hard, hoping that Inuyasha would hear her... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Inuyasha bounded through the woods, following Kagome's scent. She couldn't have gotten too far, he knew, and was positive he would round a corner and see the mortal sitting on the side of the road crying, or something dramatic like that...  
  
But there was still a fear as cold as stone that was settled in the pit of the hanyou's stomach. For as dense fog drifted up around him, as it had to Kagome, all hopes of being able to find her easily faded away, along with his sharp hanyou eyesight, and keen sense of smell.  
  
Inuyasha growled and clenched his fists. He knew only one person that could, and would be able to create a thick blanket of fog like that... and he hoped that he would find Kagome before they did! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Shut up, you stupid fool. Inuyasha will not save you this time." Came a voice.  
  
Kagome gasped and searched around nervously. She knew exactly who the voice belonged to... and she really didn't feel like coming face to face with them just then.  
  
"What do you want from me?" she called out. Her voice echoed through the fog and seemed to go on forever.  
  
"I want your life." Was the reply. At that, a tall shadowy figure stepped into view. Kagome gasped. It was Kikyo!  
  
The miko smirked evilly, seeing the frightened look on Kagome's face upon seeing her. "What's wrong, my weak reincarnation?" she asked, drawing an arrow from her quiver. She aimed it right for Kagome. "Inuyasha's not here to save you? What a pity."  
  
With that, she let the arrow fly. It whistled as it whizzed through the air, meeting its mark- in the sleeve of Kagome's school uniform. It pinned her against a tree, and she whimpered as she tried helplessly to tear away from the magic arrow.  
  
Kikyo laughed as she drew another arrow. "Do not fear, mortal..." she hissed. "You'll meet up with that hanyou again... who knows.... maybe the Gods will take pity on you, and reincarnate you... into a slimy little maggot!"  
  
Kagome clenched her fists, and struggled to get away from the tree she was pinned against. "Whatever happens, Kikyo, I'll always make sure I'm with Inuyasha! No matter what! I'll be by his side even if I AM reincarnated into a maggot!"  
  
Kikyo smirked. "Oh, that much I am certain of." She sneered. "And I'LL be there as well... TO STEP ON YOU."  
  
Kagome could feel her anger boiling to the peak. And strangely, she could feel a rather odd sensation building up inside of her body...  
  
The miko aimed her arrow for Kagome. "Now..." she cooed, "Where do you want it? In the head? Or the heart?"  
  
Kagome gulped and bit her lip. She was shaking now, and her little heart was pounding. She was going to die...  
  
Kikyo pulled the arrow back, making the bow creak. "Have fun in hell." She chuckled evilly.  
  
Suddenly, Kagome smiled as well. "I guess I'll meet you there." She said simply.  
  
The miko lowered her weapon so that she could see Kagome's face clearly. "WHAT did you say?" she questioned.  
  
Kagome shrugged innocently. "Oh, nothing really... all I said was that I'll see you in hell... it's true, isn't it? I mean, that's where you're eventually going to go, correct?"  
  
Kikyo narrowed her eyes. "Not necessarily." She pointed out. "I shall stay on earth and walk among the living."  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Well you'll be awfully lonely, Kikyo... because Inuyasha would NEVER go with you! You'll wander the earth until you run out of souls of the dead to take... either that, or you'll be sent to hell- by none other than Inuyasha himself!"  
  
Kikyo growled. "Enough!" she cried, raising her bow once more. "This'll put an end to your interfering..." With that, she let the arrow fly.  
  
SHHHHHIIINNNG!  
  
The arrow was deflected by something hard and metallic. Both Kagome and Kikyo gasped, and turned to see Inuyasha holding his Tetsusaiga; now un- transformed due to the contact with the magic arrow.  
  
Kikyo narrowed her eyes. "Inuyasha." She muttered.  
  
Kagome's reaction was somewhat... different. "INUYASHA!!!" she cried, pulling fiercely on the arrow to get free.  
  
The hanyou started to go to Kagome when another arrow soared through the air... and pinned Inuyasha's arm to the tree as well- and if the tree was not there, he would be standing back to back with Kagome.  
  
"Inuyasha!" she cried. "Why? Why did you come to save me?" she lowered her head sadly. "Now it's all my fault." She muttered.  
  
The hanyou's ears perked up. "What's your fault?" he asked.  
  
Kagome sniffed a little. "Because of ME, you are going to be killed as well."  
  
Inuyasha sighed. "Kagome..." he began, "I would NEVER let you die... atleast not alone, anyway," he added with a small smile.  
  
The mortal gasped quietly at his comment. "Inuyasha..." she whispered in surprise.  
  
Suddenly, an angry voice echoed through the air. "SILENCE!" Both turned their attention to see Kikyo still standing about 20 feet in front of them, ready to shoot. However, the miko lowered her weapon once more. Her face no longer held anger. In fact, it seemed to be rather sorrowful and hurt.  
  
"Inuyasha?" she asked, taking a step closer to him. "Does that girl mean more to you than I do?"  
  
The hanyou tried to turn his head away from the miko, so he could avoid looking into her eyes... but as his golden orbs locked with her deep brown ones, Inuyasha was trapped. The feelings that he had for Kikyo came flooding back to him all at once, and his eyes softened when she reached up and stroked his cheek.  
  
"Inuyasha..." she whispered. "We were meant to be together always... now that you have seeken vengeance on my behalf, and Naraku is dead, we can continue on from where we left off, you and I..."  
  
Inuyasha gulped when she moved in closer. "Unless you are in love with that mortal girl..." With that, Kikyo kissed Inuyasha.  
  
Kagome bared her teeth in anger and hate for Kikyo. She had never been this angry before in her entire life... and as she watched Inuyasha kiss the miko back, she started to cry.  
  
Being that hanyou that he was, Inuyasha smelled Kagome's tears. He opened one eye and felt all his happiness disappear, when he saw how sad the mortal was. There he was, kissing Kikyo in front of Kagome... with almost no shame! What was wrong with him?!  
  
Inuyasha pulled away from Kikyo gently. "Let Kagome go." He said.  
  
The miko frowned. "Is she all you ever think about?"  
  
Inuyasha blushed. "Kikyo, please... just let her go. We are upsetting her. I can't allow her to cry... especially when I'm the cause."  
  
Kikyo smirked. "How kind and compassionate you have become, Inuyasha. You've let this girl tame your heart and ease your restless soul... but tell me- why is it that you act like you care for me, and kiss me like you do? I need to hear you say it." Kikyo glanced at Kagome. When the mortal heard the request, she glared at the miko. "How can you expect him to love you when you're such an evil little b-"  
  
Kikyo grabbed Kagome's throat, cutting her off. "I'm such a little what?" she questioned sarcastically. "I didn't quite catch all of that."  
  
Kagome gasped for breath, and Kikyo tightened her hold on the mortal's neck.  
  
Inuyasha growled. "Kikyo, stop!"  
  
"Then say it."  
  
"Say what?!"  
  
"Say you love me, Inuyasha."  
  
"B-but Kagome... she... I..."  
  
"Let me put it this way- if you wish for me to spare her life, then say it... unless you don't love me..."  
  
Inuyasha looked away from the pained expression on Kagome's face.  
  
The mortal's eyes were brimming with tears as a long silence passed overhead. If Inuyasha was taking so long to answer... was there still hope? Maybe he-"  
  
"I love you, Kikyo."  
  
GAK  
  
Kagome could have sworn her heart stopped beating. She had always hoped to hear those three words from Inuyasha... but directed to her, not Kikyo, off all people!  
  
Kikyo smiled and kissed the hanyou again, releasing Kagome's neck from her grasp. "I thought so." She murmured showing off in front of Kagome, just to rub it in her face.  
  
Inuyasha sighed and tilted his head onto her shoulder so neither woman would see his expression of remorse. I told Kikyo I loved her... I finally said it, after so many years... he thought to himself. Then why do I feel so horrible?  
  
Kagome looked away from the two completely. She had no desire whatsoever to hear another word from either of them... and her heart broke when she realized the horrible truth-- Inuyasha was gone... and never coming back.  
  
Kikyo smirked at Kagome as Inuyasha lifted his head from the miko's shoulder. He looked her straight in the eyes.  
  
"Now let her go."  
  
Kikyo pursed her lips in annoyance, but nonetheless waved her hand in Kagome's direction.  
  
The mortal let out a cry of surprise when the arrow in her sleeve vanished. She slumped to the ground, holding her sore neck.  
  
Inuyasha looked down at Kagome with sad eyes. He was so ashamed of everything that the poor girl had to see and hear. He wished that there was something he could do to make up for everything. Sadly, though, he knew there was none.  
  
Kikyo kicked Kagome suddenly, making her fall over. "Now get out of here." She sneered. "Before I change my mind and kill you."  
  
Kagome got up and brushed herself off. Then, she turned around and started to walk away. However, she turned back to Inuyasha. "I've lost you, Inuyasha... and you're never coming back, are you?"  
  
With that, she walked away.  
  
Inuyasha looked after her retreating form, and felt his heart start to crumble. Kagome's words had been harsh, but true... and she was leaving.  
  
The hanyou tilted Kikyo's chin upwards to face him. "I need to stay with my friends tonight." He said. "I need one more night with them before I leave with you, Kikyo. It'll be hard for them to learn of. Do you understand?"  
  
The miko frowned, but when she saw the desperate look in her lover's eyes, her heart softened. Barely.  
  
"Fine." She said. "One more night. Stay with them for tonight... but in the morning, I want you to come and meet me here in this exact same spot."  
  
With that, the arrow that bound him to the tree vanished, as Kagome's had.  
  
Inuyasha gave her a quick hug, and started back to his companions, when Kikyo's voice called out to him. "Inuyasha... don't even think of trying anything with that weak mortal of yours."  
  
Inuyasha sighed and kept on walking. "Don't worry." He muttered. "I haven't been able to tell Kagome my feelings for her yet. One night's not going to change that." 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Broken Hearts Need Time to Heal  
  
"You WHAT?!?!"  
  
"I already told you, houshi. I'm leaving tomorrow to be with Kikyo... and I intend on taking the Shikon no Tama with me."  
  
Miroku put his hands on his hips. "Why?" he asked. "Why are you leaving us like this? Kikyo has shown up many times, Inuyasha-chan. Why was this time so different for the miko to convince you to go with her?"  
  
The hanyou mumbled something under his breath and bowed his head down so his eyes were hidden in shadow.  
  
The houshi shook his head and just walked away; the rings on his staff clinking.  
  
Inuyasha turned around to go the other way, and bumped into Sango, Shippou, and Kirarra. They were all glaring at him.  
  
"So you've heard." He commented dryly.  
  
Instead of answering him, the three just brushed past, following Miroku.  
  
Inuyasha sighed sadly and walked in the other direction, to just be alone.  
  
The leaves on the path crunched under the hanyou's feet as he mindlessly wandered around the forest. The sun, by now, had set, and he could smell dinner. However, the hanyou knew that it would be best to avoid his friends right then... it would probably be safer too!  
  
As he was guided by the light of the moon, Inuyasha made his way through the familiar woods, until...  
  
There it was- the one thing in the whole world that meant the most to him- that held the most sentimentality- the Goshinboku tree.  
  
Inuyasha walked over to it slowly. I had been a while since he had been there... and as he approached, a strange feeling of calmness drifted over him.  
  
He sat down at the base of the tree and leaned his head against it, closing his eyes.  
  
"So I see you've found me again."  
  
Inuyasha nearly leapt out of his skin when he heard that familiar voice call to him. Looking to the other side of the tree, he spotted Kagome.  
  
Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her school uniform was slightly torn. Her neck was starting to bruise from where Kikyo had gripped it, and there was a hole ripped in her sleeve where the arrow had been.  
  
The hanyou knew he had to say something... anything. So he did.  
  
"Kagome, I-"  
  
"Just leave me alone."  
  
"But-"  
  
"I'm not talking to you."  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Kagome, even though seething from her anger and hurt, softened a little when she heard what he had said.  
  
"You might be sorry, but that's not gunna change what I heard and saw, is it?"  
  
Inuyasha looked at the ground. "No, guess not..."  
  
"What is it about Kikyo that makes her so irresistible?"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"You heard me. I know you love Kikyo, Inuyasha... so what are your reasons then? You must have some..."  
  
Inuyasha blushed. What the hell was he supposed to tell her? So he adapted to the situation the Inuyasha way.  
  
"It's none of your damn business."  
  
Kagome crossed her arms. "Oh really? Well then fine. What if I go hook up with Kouga then?"  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened. "WHAT?!" he cried. "KOUGA?! But... why?!"  
  
Kagome glared at him. "It's none of your damn business."  
  
The hanyou sighed and shook his head; defeated by his own comeback.  
  
Kagome still had not once looked at Inuyasha. She wouldn't be able to stay mad at him if she looked into his eyes... his deep, golden eyes...  
  
Inuyasha was in a slight panic. He had to make up with Kagome, and he had to do it fast... The last thing he wanted to do was end a good friendship with a bad fight.  
  
Friendship.  
  
The word stuck out in Inuyasha's mind. Was that all they were? Just friends? It was so weird to think about Kagome like that, but he never wanted to admit it... so what would you call someone who's more than a best friend, but not your lover?  
  
They're your soul mate, that's what. Came the little voice inside Inuyasha's head.  
  
The hanyou cocked his head at the thought. Was Kagome his soul mate?  
  
Meanwhile, the mortal was rambling on about how pissed off she had been at Kikyo. When she saw Inuyasha wasn't listening, she frowned.  
  
"You don't even care."  
  
"What?" The hanyou jumped; startled by the abrupt outburst.  
  
Kagome just looked at him and her bottom lip quivered.  
  
Inuyasha winced inwardly when Kagome's eyes filled with tears. Why was it that he always made the poor girl cry?!  
  
"Kagome, don't cry..."  
  
Kagome glared at him. "Don't cry? Don't cry?! I have every RIGHT to cry! After what I had to see?! You and Kikyo just practically made out right in front of me! What the hell was I supposed to do? Just shrug and look away as that bitch of a miko stole you away from me?! You have no idea what that's like, Inuyasha! And I'm starting to think that you don't even care! It didn't bother you, did it?! You were with Kikyo; how could I forget?!" At this point, her voice grew quieter and more controlled.  
  
"The miko makes up for her evilness with her beauty, so I guess that's all ok to you... as long as you're with your soul mate, then I really have no right to try and stop you, or talk you out of it... I'm just Kagome the stupid girl, Kagome the weak mortal... and my personal favorite, Kikyo's reincarnation! And I guess that's all I'll ever be!"  
  
At this point, Inuyasha was so shocked by Kagome's words that he couldn't even talk. So, in the heat of the moment, the hanyou totally and completely snapped out of character. He grasped Kagome's shoulders roughly, leaned in... and kissed her!  
  
Kagome thought her heart had stopped beating the second she felt her lips against Inuyasha's. After so long... many lonely nights had paid off... and one of her dearest and wildest dreams had come true.  
  
However, it was all too wonderful for Kagome. In fact, it seemed too good to be true...  
  
As they parted, Inuyasha gazed into Kagome's eyes. Hers were full of surprise... and some other emotion.... the hanyou did not know what it was, exactly, but he was about to find out...  
  
Kagome snapped out of her "trance", raised her hand... and slapped Inuyasha hard across the face!  
  
The hanyou almost fell backwards from the force of the hard hit. He steadied himself and sat back in shock; one hand laying behind him on the ground to support his weight, and the other rested on his sore cheek where Kagome had struck him.  
  
The mortal was shaking and she slid away from Inuyasha. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" she cried.  
  
Inuyasha gulped, trying to regain use of his voice.  
  
"K-Kagome..."  
  
"NO! How could you do this to me?! You make me think you might like me, and then totally betray me to be with Kikyo... and then you come back to me and screw around with my emotions and feelings!"  
  
The hanyou gasped. Kagome was taking it all the wrong way.  
  
"How can you just kiss me like that?! Do you really think that I have no feelings?! Do you think that you can just USE me like a pet?!"  
  
Inuyasha removed the hand from his cheek and reached out to Kagome.  
  
"No!" he exclaimed. "You've got it all wrong, Kagome! My actions were..."  
  
"The easiest method to fixing your problem with me and Kikyo... can't choose just one, so why not pick both, right? Don't act like I'm so stupid... I heard you a long time ago when you were talking about that with Miroku and Shippou, remember?"  
  
Inuyasha was speechless as Kagome rose to her feet and turned to leave. However, before she walked away, she stared down at the hanyou with sad eyes.  
  
"I thought you might have really cared for me, Inuyasha." She said. "But I guess I was wrong to think that you would actually choose me over Kikyo."  
  
Kagome suddenly tossed the Shikon no Tama at the hanyou. "Here. Take the stupid jewel. I don't have any use for it anymore... so just keep it- you got your way after all."  
  
With that, she started to walk away, calling over her shoulder, "Have a nice life with Kikyo! I'm sure she'll like it when you use the Shikon no Tama to turn into a human for her!"  
  
Inuyasha stared after her, his mind and body frozen; the Shikon no Tama in his hand. When she was out of sight and back at the campsite with Sango, Shippou, Miroku, and Kirarra, the hanyou was able to recover. He just let himself fell backwards onto the ground and looked up into the sky in despair. He had finally revealed his feelings for Kagome... and she had rejected him.  
  
"How did it go so wrong?!" he cried out to the stars.  
  
But to his dismay, even they seemed to dim at the sound of his voice. The world was against him, he knew... so Inuyasha climbed up into the Goshinboku tree with the jewel and sat there all night long, spending the last night he would have with his friends- alone. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 "A Mystic Reverie"  
  
The sun shone down from between the trees, stirring Inuyasha from his sleep. He groaned and rubbed his sore back. The hanyou had slept like a log all night long, and his back was killing him. He had been tormented in his sleep, dream after dream... all he saw, smelled, heard, and felt had been Kagome-- and she told him time and time again that she did not love him.  
  
Even though he knew they had only been a bunch of bad dreams, Inuyasha felt so sad and lonely inside. For one, he hated himself. Why had he gone and kissed Kagome like that?! He had just made everything worse, and now there was no way to turn back the hands of time so he could do everything over the right way.  
  
Inuyasha yawned and leapt down from the high branch he had been on, landing on the ground quietly. He then started towards where he knew his friends were.  
  
When the hanyou reached their campsite, Inuyasha was saddened to find that everyone was still asleep. He took one last look at all of his friends- they were the only ones that had ever looked past his hanyou- nature and seen his heart. They were so dear to Inuyasha, and his heart broke when he thought about leaving them... especially when his eyes came to rest on Kagome.  
  
She looked so frail and helpless curled up in her sleeping bag. The hanyou walked over to her and knelt down beside her. He brought his hand up to her cheek and caressed it gently, careful not to wake her up.  
  
"Kagome..." he murmured. "I wish I had told you sooner how much I cared for you... and now it's too late- Just as Michiko warned it would be."  
  
He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Then, he stood up and walked away from his friends- his family... and into an unpredictable world where he would be with Kikyo forevermore...  
  
Kagome felt a tear slip down her cheek as she opened her eyes and watched Inuyasha disappear into the forest. She moved her hand up to where he had kissed her and stared after him.  
  
"Looks like he has left us." Miroku reported sadly, sitting up from where he had been resting.  
  
"Yes, he's gone, Shippou. You can stop pretending now." Sango added to the kitsune, who had looked to be fast asleep. He raised his little head and whimpered, knowing that Inuyasha was really gone.  
  
Kagome thought about everything that Inuyasha had said up until the last moment they were together. Did he really mean what he said about wishing he could have told Kagome he cared for her sooner? She and her friends could only wonder... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile...  
  
Inuyasha hurried through the forest at his fast hanyou speed. The world zipped by, as did his happiness. He knew that he should be in a better mood when he was with Kikyo. She didn't deserve to have him acting so depressed from his problems that had been happening with the hanyou and his former companions.  
  
As he neared the clearing to where Kikyo would meet him, Inuyasha began to think back to the first days he had been with Kagome. He had thought she was a selfish, stuck-up bitch at first... but when she risked her life to safe his when he had been battling Yura of the demon hair, the hanyou had looked at Kagome in a new light.  
  
She no longer seemed to be the betrayer that Kikyo had been, and there was something about her that the hanyou knew he could trust. There had always been a feeling of need whenever he was around Kagome... when he was fighting, she would always be there, giving him strength and courage. When he was sad and lonely, Kagome always had that sweet smile that lifted the hanyou out of his misery... and when Kagome's life was in danger, Inuyasha always felt this strong feeling of fear inside of his very soul, and it scared him to think that he might lose Kagome one day. And that was when he pushed her into the Bone Eaters Well after that painful battle with Sesshomaru. He tried to make sure she could not return to them, hoping that would banish the risk of loosing her like that. Of course, that had nearly killed his soul, and his heart broke when he looked down at her scared and confused expression when she was falling through the well; never to return.  
  
Of course, she did come back after that, and even though he liked not to admit it, Inuyasha had been so relieved when she had returned. He never wanted her to be in danger, but he soon discovered that he couldn't live without her by his side.  
  
After that, the hanyou began to feel changes take place within himself. He no longer had a restless, lonely heart... and he had friends. Friends who liked him for who he was- not what he was... and he started to enjoy life again, for now he had a purpose; a place in the world where he was welcomed; where he fit in. And that was all thanks to Kagome.  
  
Inuyasha wished that he could just forget about Kikyo, for their feud had happened so long ago... but there was something binding him to her. He wasn't sure if it was the guilt he had inside his heart, knowing that he was alive when he should be dead, as she was, or the fact that she was trying so hard to stay on earth and walk among the living- just to be with him. Whatever it was, there was a reason for it being there, so he figured it would be best to just let fate have its way with him. He would have to get over Kagome... forget the feelings he had for her and move on, for Kikyo needed him now.  
  
As he turned the corner, Kikyo could be seen standing in front of the tree, looking as if she had been there the whole time; never moving.  
  
Inuyasha walked over to her and stopped when he was standing before the miko. He looked down into her cold eyes, and was surprised to see that they were so different from Kagome's... so distant and void of feelings. In fact, this was the first time he actually took a good look at Kikyo...  
  
Her skin was pale and cold from death, and her hair laid limp around her; refusing to blow in the wind, as if it was not real. She still had the same smell, but Inuyasha could pick up the scent of death... when she spoke, her voice had an icy glaze over it, that could chill your very bones. And there was always the sad feelings the hanyou could pick up whenever he was near her. She was a lonely spirit roaming the earth with unfinished business...  
  
Inuyasha was surprised to find himself wishing she was more like Kagome. She had a warm smile that could cheer you up whenever you're sad, and she was so kind towards everyone... it was hard to imagine Kagome being evil as Kikyo was.  
  
There is such a difference between them! Inuyasha thought to himself. Why haven't I noticed that before?!  
  
Kikyo picked up on Inuyasha's emotions, and concluded that he was thinking of Kagome. So, she kissed him lightly on the cheek and smiled up at him.  
  
"What are you thinking?" she asked.  
  
Inuyasha didn't want to tell Kikyo he was thinking of Kagome, so instead he said, "Uh nothing, really... just thinking about the future... our future."  
  
Kikyo nodded and looked him over for a minute. Suddenly, she held out her hand.  
  
"You have it?"  
  
Inuyasha was confused. "Have what?"  
  
"The Shikon no Tama."  
  
"Y-yes..."  
  
"Let me see it."  
  
Inuyasha carefully took it out from around his neck, and held it out to her. However, there was a strange feeling that came over him, and as the miko reached out to touch it, he shrank back a little.  
  
Kikyo frowned. "Do you not trust me with the very jewel I was assigned to protect throughout eternity?"  
  
Inuyasha sighed and shook his head. "Sorry." He said. "It's just that... well, we;ve worked so hard to recover the jewel, and it's hard to let go of it..."  
  
The miko nodded. "I see." She said. "So what do you plan to do with it, Inuyasha? Surely you want to make a wish apon it..."  
  
The hanyou was silent for a moment. "I... I don't know." He finally answered, looking down at the jewel in his hand.  
  
Kikyo smiled up at him. "Don't you remember what you promised me 50 years ago?" she asked. "You told me you'd use the jewel so you could always be with me."  
  
Inuyasha nodded. "I remember." He said. "I would have too..."  
  
The miko took his hands and closed them around the jewel securely.  
  
"You still can." She said.  
  
Inuyasha didn't say anything. He knew one day he would have to choose the one wish he could make on the jewel... and now that day had come.  
  
"Kikyo... I... things have changed." He began.  
  
The miko raised an eyebrow. "I see." She said. "You do not wish to be with me any more?"  
  
Inuyasha gulped. "N-no!" he exclaimed. "That's not what I meant at all! Kikyo, I do want to be with you. It's just that... Kagome... she wanted me to become a human for her... and it's just hard to think about, that's all. All my life I wanted to be a full demon; a youkai like my father... but I'm not sure what I want to do now."  
  
Kikyo sighed quietly. "Inuyasha." She said. "Answer me this- do you love Kagome as you loved me?"  
  
The hanyou gasped. What was he supposed to say?!  
  
Kikyo frowned at his silence. She reached up and stroked his face gently. "Inuyasha... I have come here for you. To be with you. And you want to leave me to be with my reincarnation?" She stared straight into his eyes. "Won't you come with me?" she asked. "So we can be together always? I'll make you forget Kagome... I do not want to see you heartbroken and opressed..."  
  
Inuyasha felt himself grow weak and he couldn't look away from her intense stare. "K-Kikyo..." he murmured, finding his mouth hard to move as well.  
  
The miko hushed him. "Ssssshhh..." she said. "Just relax, Inuyasha... relax."  
  
The hanyou felt himself opening his hands and relaxign his body to the point of some sort of meditiation...  
  
Kikyo smirked when she saw the Shikon no Tama laying in Inuyasha's open hand. She took it from him and chuckled to herself, stepping back from Inuyasha. "Now that I possess the jewel once more," she said gently, "I can wish for you to join me in going to the dephs of hell where you will never have to worry about Kagome again."  
  
"B-but Kikyo..." Inuyasha protested weakly. "I- I..."  
  
Kikyo once more hushed him, and this time, Inuyasha was relaxed completely, locked on to her gaze.  
  
Kikyo waved her hand in front of his face, and the light from his eyes completely vanished. He was now under her control.  
  
"You will not remember Kagome at all." She said. "You love me and kill anyone else who goes near me."  
  
Kikyo then held up the jewel. "How I have waited for this moment." She decared. "Now I can finally do what I have planned for us with that bothersome mortal out of the picture."  
  
Suddenly, an arrow shot through the air. It caught the Shikon no Tama's necklace chain and carried it a tree behind the miko. The arrow stuck into the bark of the tree, pinning the Shikon no Tama safely out of Kikyo's reach for the time being.  
  
The miko looked to see Kagome standing in the bushes, her bow and arrow raised. There were three more arrows in the quiver she slung over her shoulder. The miko frowned. "Why are you here?"  
  
Kagome returned the nasty frown. "Release Inuyasha." She demanded.  
  
Kikyo smirked. "No." She said. "And he will not come to you either. For you see... he has chosen to be with me. Now go."  
  
Kagome took a step forward. "Inuyasha!" she called. "Inuyasha!"  
  
Inuyasha, however, ignored Kagome, it seemed.  
  
Kikyo shrugged. "Oh well..." she sighed sarcastically. "Looks like he's just not interested.  
  
Kagome looked to Inuyasha. To her, it seemed like Inuyasha was perfectly fine...  
  
The mortal took a step towards the miko. "If you do not stop whatever it is you are trying to do, I'll kill you."  
  
Kikyo laughed. "Go ahead and try." She said tauntingly. "But I have my own protector now... and I'm sure you know how he loves me."  
  
Kagome clenched her fists and drew back her arrow. "Fine then!" she cried. "If that is what I have to do to stop you, I will kill you." With that, she let the arrow fly.  
  
It was heading straight for the miko's face, but Kikyo didn't budge.  
  
Suddenly, just as the arrow came within 2 feet of killing Kikyo, there was a blur of red thhat darted in front of her raising a cloud of dirt. The arrow bounced off of something hard from the red blur, and blocked it from hurting Kikyo.  
  
When the dirt settled, Kagome gasped. There, in front of Kikyo with his sword raised was none other that Inuyasha himself! She nearly dropped her bow. "Inuyasha?" she called. "What are you doing?"  
  
The hanyou didn't answer her. Instead, he bared his teeth and snarled.  
  
Kikyo laughed at the confused look on Kagome's face. "I told you, mortal! Inuyasha has chosen me now... he will do anything to protect me. All I have to do is give him the command, and he'll kill you."  
  
Kagome shrank back a little. "No." She said. "No! That's not true!"  
  
She raised her bow and arrow once more, preparing to shoot the miko.  
  
Kikyo crossed her arms. "Have it your way." She said. "Inuyasha- kill her." 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 "The Final Battle"  
  
Kagome stood her ground as Inuyasha charged at her. Was this some sort of a joke he was playing on her?  
  
"Inuyasha!" she called to him. "Stop playing around!"  
  
However, Inuyasha leapt into the air, and with a clawed hand raised, he cried, "Sankontessou Aname!" (Iron Reaver Soul Stealer)  
  
Kagome shrieked and dove to the ground, barely avoiding the attack. She gasped when she felt blood trickling down the side of her face. Inuyasha had managed to knick her with one of his claws, and she had a deep gash that went from just below her right temple to the middle of her cheek.  
  
She looked up at him with surprise as he stood there for a moment. "Inuyasha... you hurt me." Kagome whimpered.  
  
The hanyou laughed. "Good." He sneered. "Now hold still and I'll make your demise a quick one."  
  
Kagome saw Inuyasha raise his claws again. She scrambled to her feet. "What are you doing?" she cried.  
  
Inuyasha swiped his claws through the air again, and Kagome felt her clothes tear. Where there were rip marks on her uniform, blood could soon be seen spilling out of her wounds.  
  
Kagome hunched over in pain.  
  
Kikyo smirked. "Why don't you fight back?" she mocked. "Shoot him with one of your arrows and kill him before he kills you!"  
  
Inuyasha stood there with an evil smile on his face as Kagome shook her head. "NO!" she cried. "I won't fight him! I WON'T!"  
  
The hanyou raked his claws through the air, slicing her skin even more. Blood splurted out of her body in little rivulets, but Kagome stood her ground. "Do you really want to kill me, Inuyasha?" she asked in disbelief.  
  
Inuyasha growled and lunged at her. He knocked her to the ground and grabbed her neck in his hands; digging his claws into her skin.  
  
Kagome choked back her tears as she looked into Inuyasha's eyes. "Your eyes are so cold..." she squeaked weakly. It was hard to talk against his grip on her neck.  
  
Inuyasha only growled and squeezed her harder.  
  
Kagome winced, but kept talking. "Inuyasha... what is wrong with you? Why are you doing this?"  
  
The hanyou raised his eyebrows slightly at the sound of her voice. There was something about it...  
  
"Kikyo has put a spell on you, hasn't she? You wouldn't try to kill me on your own, right?"  
  
Inuyasha bared his teeth, but loosened his grip on her neck ever so slightly.  
  
Kagome was loosing allot of blood now, and a tiny dark red pool was already starting to form around her body. But she kept on talking.  
  
"If this has anything to do with me slapping you yesterday, well I'm sorry... and you know, I meant what I said about wanting you to become a human for me... I need to be with you, Inuyasha. "  
  
Kikyo laughed when she saw Kagome trying so hard to release Inuyasha from the spell she had placed on him.  
  
"Nice try." She said. "But he'll never listen to you."  
  
Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes, and she reached up to touch Inuyasha's face.  
  
"Do you even remember me?" she asked. "Do you know who I am?"  
  
Inuyasha growled when she touched him, and tried to shake off her hand from his face.  
  
However, Kagome kept it there.  
  
"It's me, Kagome... you've got to remember me, Inuyasha... please!"  
  
This time, the hanyou stopped struggling to get away from her hand and seemed to be listening to Kagome's voice.  
  
"You really are on Kikyo's side, aren't you?" she asked suddenly. Inuyasha loosened his grip greatly at the sad tone of her voice.  
  
"I thought you'd always protect me, Inuyasha... and you said you'd always be there for me."  
  
Inuyasha blinked once or twice, showing signs of progress.  
  
By this time, Kagome had lost too much blood, and was starting to pass out. Her hand started to slip from his face. "Inuyasha... I wish I could make you like me again..." Kagome murmured, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I... I guess I should tell you then. I really like you, Inuyasha... I love you."  
  
With that, she leaned up and kissed Inuyasha gently.  
  
There was a bright flash inside Inuyasha's brain the second their lips met. He let go of her neck and clutched his head. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice strained from confusion. He blinked his eyes, trying to focus them.  
  
Kikyo gasped. "Can it be?" she asked; astonished. "Did he break free from the spell?"  
  
Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and smiled.  
  
When he realized what he was doing, the hanyou gasped and his face turned pale at the sight of Kagome.  
  
"GODS!" he exclaimed. "KAGOME!"  
  
Kagome felt her eyes begin to close. She was starting to lose conciousness. "Thankyou for remembering me, Inuyasha." She whispered weakly.  
  
Inuyasha felt her hand slide from his cheek and fall to the ground with a plop.  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"KAGOME!"  
  
Kikyo laughed. "Good job, Inuyasha." She chuckled. "Look at what you have done to Kagome! And all for me too!"  
  
Inuyasha growled and turned to Kikyo. "What the hell are you talking about?!" he demanded, cradling Kagome's limp body in his arms.  
  
The miko shrugged. "You inflicted all of those fatal wounds on Kagome." She said. "Aren't you proud of yourself?"  
  
Inuyasha could feel himself start to panic. Was Kagome going to die?!  
  
Kikyo removed the Shikon no Tama from the tree it had been pinned to and walked over to Inuyasha and Kagome. "Leave her here." She said. "Your friends will find her and heal her- well try to, anyway."  
  
Inuyasha glared at Kikyo and held Kagome even tighter. "NO." He said. "I'll never go with you."  
  
Kikyo gasped when she heard what he had said. The once sunny skies now clouded over with dark black clouds. Thunder rolled in the distance, and lightning flashed all around Kikyo. "How dare you." She snarled. "How dare you refuse me? You shall regret that!"  
  
She raised her hand, and Inuyasha flew up into the air, letting go of Kagome so she would not be hurt as well. Kikyo waved her hand, then, and Inuyasha slammed into a tree. He groaned and clutched his head. He could see his Tetsusaiga laying on the ground not too far from him. However, when he tried to reach it, vines came and wrapped around his arms tightly, preventing him from going any further.  
  
"I thought you really loved me." Kikyo said sadly, picking up her bow and an arrow. "I guess as long as that one's around, you'll never be able to forget her."  
  
She postioned the arrow in the bow and pulled it back, aiming it for Kagome. "Don't worry, though." She cooed. "I'll take care of this little problem. Then you'll be all mine."  
  
"Kikyo don't!" Inuyasha cried, struggling against the vines.  
  
Kikyo frowned and concentrated on her target. She pulled the arrow back a little farther.  
  
"NO!!!" Inuyasha cried. "KAAAAGOOOME!"  
  
Suddenly, Tetsusaiga's sheath started pulsing. Inuyasha was confused for a moment, but then grinned. "Tetsusaiga!" he bellowed. "RETURN TO ME!"  
  
The sword flew up from the ground and went right into the hand of Inuyasha. He sliced through the vines and freed himself just as Kikyo released the arrow.  
  
Everything seemed to go in slow motion after that. The miko let the arrow fly just as Inuyasha brought the Tetsusaiga down across Kikyo's right shoulder.  
  
Luckilly, the arrow missed its target.  
  
The miko gasped in pain and fell to the ground, dropping the Shikon no Tama. Before she could grab it, Inuyasha swiped it up and out of her reach. She glared up at him. "This is exactly how it was then." She muttered through her pain. "You traitor."  
  
Inuyasha looked down at Kikyo. He was silent for a moment, realising what he had done. He had struck Kikyo down!  
  
Inuyasha then smiled. "I'm sorry Kikyo." He said. "But I'm not in love with you anymore. Kagome needs me now more than ever... and it was you who showed me that. I am grateful."  
  
Kikyo winced as she tried to stand. Blood gushed from her shoulder. "You- you think you may have won, but you didn't... I'll be back again, just like always. Then I'll kill your precious Kagome as well as you!"  
  
Inuyasha frowned and was about to say something when Kikyo screamed out in pain. Looking at the miko, he could see an arrow protruding from her back and out her chest.  
  
"Kikyo, you are done for!" shouted a voice.  
  
Inuyasha and Kikyo whirled around to see Kagome leaning up on her bow which supported her weight.  
  
Kagome raised one arm out towards the miko. "Souls of the dead!" she cried. "Be released!"  
  
"NO!" Kikyo shrieked, clutching her body as all of the spirits she had accumulated came shooting out in all different directions.  
  
Inuyasha gasped as the miko's body dropped to the ground after all the spirits had drained from her. The body soon melted into soil which was carried away with the wind. The only things left behind were Kikyo's clothes, and her bow and arrows.  
  
The hanyou looked over to Kagome just in time to see her collapse.  
  
"Kagome!" he cried, rushing over to her. 


End file.
